MARCH 27, 2007

A note about Valencia

Although the government of Valencia has voted through its plans for the funding of a Formula 1 track in the downtown area, there is still one hurdle that needs to be overcome. The mayor and the local government both face elections at the end of May. The mayor, Rita Barbera Nolla has held the office since 1991 and has been re-elected in 1995, 1999 and 2003 and so is not thought likely to lose, particularly given the excitement that surrounds the America's Cup contest later this summer. The local government, known as the Generalidad Valenciana, is controlled at the moment by Francisco Camps of the Partido Popular (PP), who has 48 deputies compared to 35 for the socialists and six for the Esquerra Unida. It would thus take a major shift in opinion to unseat Camps.

The city already has big plans for the future with the Indoor Athletics World Championships in 2008 and in 2009 a new stadium which will enable Valencia to host big soccer events. The city is also constructing a Ferris Wheel that is nearly 100m high plus a number of other projects to develop the city and attract more tourism and ultimately business as well.

There are some who feel that the money should be spent on other things but we will have to wait until May 27 to see who has the most support.