New dispute in Vals
The debates about the planned high-rise hotel "Femme de Vals" and its investor Remo Stoffel are going into another round. The spring zone of the Vals mineral spring runs under the property on which Stoffel wants to build the hotel tower. It is feared that the foundations of the tower will touch the spring. Therefore, exploratory drilling is planned, but Coca-Cola has so far prevented this.
Remo Stoffels 7132 AG already submitted a corresponding application in May. But it was not supported by Coca-Cola, the concessionaire of the mineral spring, due to hydrological risks. Now the municipality has to deal with a new application from Stoffel by mid-December. The question is whether exploratory drilling requires a building permit at all. According to local media, Coca-Cola had demanded such a procedure, among other things because objections to the test drilling would then also be possible.
Initiative: Stoffel to pay Therme in full
Meanwhile, resentment is stirring among the people of Vals that Stoffel has not yet paid in full for the Zumthor thermal spa and the associated hotel structure. The purchase price was CHF 7.77 million, of which Stoffel has only paid 1.77 million. According to the contract, the remaining six million was due in March 2015.
According to "Regionaljournal Graubünden" and "Südostschweiz", voters in Vals have handed over an initiative with 114 signatures to the municipal council. They demand that Stoffel pay the municipality the outstanding sum plus interest on arrears within one month.
However, according to a clause in the contract, the investor is allowed to take his time until the end of September 2016 to pay the six million installment that is actually due in March 2015. The extension of the deadline is connected with the planned construction of a multipurpose hall. The municipality and Stoffel are to contribute six million CHF each to this project. (ah)
