Barcelona City Council is in talks with Mercasa to consider the purchase of the shopping centre in the Olympic Village. The latest offer on the table has dropped to 27 million euros.
The Barcelona City Council continues to negotiate with Mercasa, the state public company managing the Vila Centre, regarding the potential purchase of the shopping centre in the Olympic Village. This was confirmed on Wednesday by Deputy Mayor Albert Batlle, after the auction in June ended without any bids.
According to Batlle, municipal technicians are analysing the operational costs, the revenue generated by the building, and the risks involved in taking it over. The aim, he explained, is to revive commercial activity, accommodate facilities, and address the structural issues of the property.
The price has been the main hurdle. According to Batlle himself, Mercasa's initial proposal was 80 million, which was later reduced to 40, and in the latest offer, it stands at 27 million. With irony, the deputy mayor warned that if the council waits too long, the building might be given away.
“We also demand rigor,” said Albert Batlle while explaining that the value of the property remained “too high and not objective” at various stages of the negotiation.
The explanations come after councillor Josep Rius from Junts asked in the Presidency Commission about the status of the discussions. Rius complained that the vast majority of shops remain closed and that the building is deteriorating, to the extent that residents have turned to the courts.
The context goes back a long way. In February, Deputy Mayor Jordi Valls had already indicated that the council preferred to negotiate after the auction organised by Segipsa on June 10, with a starting price between 18 and 27 million euros. Since that auction ended without any bids, the City Council has kept negotiations with Mercasa open, with no decision on the purchase yet.
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