The eviction from the Sotavento Shopping Center, situated in the Muelle Deportivo of the Port of Las Palmas, is in its final stages. The Port Authority is finalizing the tender documents to re-bid the management of the entire space, a process advancing in parallel with the marina's expansion and improvement. Currently, only one business, a diving shop, remains after relocating to Siete Palmas in mid-June, following the dismissal of its appeal against the eviction order.
The institution, chaired by Beatriz Calzada, aims to reclaim the space whose occupation ceased to be authorized after the managing company failed to pay the required fees, despite judicial rulings in favor of the Port Authority, which had to seek court permission for eviction.
Once the shopping center is recovered, the objective is to re-tender its management as a whole, ruling out independent management of individual units due to complexity. The new tender will have similar conditions to the previous one, aiming to transform the space into a public meeting point, potentially including a nightlife venue if it complies with current regulations.
The President of the Port Authority is confident that the situation will soon normalize and that a new manager will be appointed by 2027. Several companies have already expressed interest in the property, awaiting the resolution of the current anomaly.
The resolution of the Sotavento Shopping Center's situation progresses alongside the preparation of tender documents for the expansion and management of the Dársena de Embarcaciones Menores (Minor Vessels Dock), a procedure suspended for nearly a decade. Previous tender attempts in 2022 and later, with a rejected proposal, have marked the path.
The ultimate goal is to enhance nautical activity and expand leisure, dining, and complementary services. An investment exceeding 80 million euros is planned to add 1,000 berths and 109,000 square meters. The Head of Works and Infrastructure of the Port, Antonia Bordón, emphasized the importance of attracting investors for the development and management of the Muelle Deportivo, mentioning improvements already made such as replacing pontoons and renovating Joaquín Blanco Torres avenue.
The complexity of the process, including project drafting, authorizations, and potential appeals, could extend the timeline to two years. To ensure stability, the authorization for companies interested in continuing at the Muelle Deportivo has been extended until December 31, 2029.
The Port Authority aims to have both the investment and management of the Muelle Deportivo awarded by the end of 2029, consolidating it as the largest sports marina in Spain managed by a port authority.
