‘Little Prague of big boys.’ Older buildings disappear due to raid by rich investors in Špindl Home
Billionaire Marek Dospiv spoils the view from the new hotel villa. He bought it and intends to “significantly reduce” the building |
This year’s hit of Špindlerův Mlýn is the means of transport powered by electricity. They are everywhere and pedestrians have to do something to prevent damage to health among the passing “electricians”. This is no different at the lower station of the cable car to Medvědín, where e-bikes and scooters in particular can be rented. Due to the changing terrain, we prefer to go on our own.
Secluded in the woods
We are heading towards the Girls’ Footbridges upstream of the White Elbe. The dirt road gradually rises, following the yellow sign into the forest and the terrain turns into a rocky path. After about half an hour of steep climbs, we reach David’s huts, our first destination.
At one kilometer above sea level, there are picturesque meadows with panoramic views of the Giant Mountains. Not only the view, but also the local peace and quiet. You can hardly imagine a better place to relax. Martin Roman, one of the most influential domestic financiers, is one of the few who can not only imagine such an environment, but also perhaps. The former head of the ČEZ Group built a tasteful cottage here. In 2010, Roman’s family bought it from the Office of the Government. It was estimated that the price was around 12 million crowns. The original government cottage Slunečná fell to the ground and Roman built a brand new one in its place. Towards the forest there is a large meadow, which is written for Roman’s wife. There is also a small ski lift. The high position is mainly due to the fact that behind Roman – especially in winter – unwelcome guests do not just scramble. It is necessary to use a snowmobile or snowmobile.
Spindleruv Mlyn. Bugina town and cable car and for food |
Roman stands out from the vast majority of other rich Czechs who buy barracks in Špindl by having his cottage or villa completely outside the mountain resort – in solitude by the meadow and near the forests, far from everyone. That is, with a few exceptions. If, for example, he talked to a “neighbor” and got a taste for, for example, the news of Parlamentní listy, he would walk to the Sedmidolí mountain hut after only ten minutes in the direction of Petrov and Moravská bouda. It belongs to the E-Centrum company, which is owned by media mogul Michal Voráček. Together with the gambling boss and Senator Ivo Valenta, he has the company Our Media, which publishes Parlamentní listy.
Infographics of billionaires and their settlements in the countryside.
Hill of power engineers
We climbed to a height of over 1100 meters and return down to the city to other addresses. We pass the lower station of the cable car to Medvědín and around the local aquapark we climb slightly uphill towards the church. Entrepreneurs and managers associated with the ČEZ Group have the keys to their cottages and villas on this hill. Daniel Beneš, CEO of the energy giant, built a modern villa made of wood and metal on the hillside. The influential manager will most likely defend his position in ČEZ even after the formation of a new government. Beneš would not be ashamed to invite the President of the Republic, his aged friend Miloš Zeman, to his mountain residence.
Billionaire Korecký is preparing a half-billion hotel in Špindlerův Mlýn |
Vladimír Schmalz, a former investment director of the Czech energy number one, also has a cottage not far from him. At present, he invests mainly in educational institutions, but in Špindl, with his ant work caused by the ranks of Špindlerův Mlýn’s rich, there is a stir. Five years ago, Prague developers Alexandr Seidl, known as the owner of the Bolek Polívka Farm, and Zbyněk Cejnar began building apartment houses in the vicinity of Schmalz’s house. At the beginning of the construction and zoning proceedings, the former head of “čezácké” investments agreed as a neighbor with the project documentation for the new houses, but then, without his knowledge, he changes, and the building “swelled” and showed the view. Schmalz began to defend himself legally, and the case reached a court facing a prosecuted pair of officials.
Infographics of billionaires and their settlements in the countryside.
Penthouse-like disco
We continue our expedition. After a few minutes we reach the church, from where we head towards the forest. They are building heavily here, circular saws and saws are in full swing. The seats of two influential billionaires are growing here. To the left of the road, the workers are finishing the completion of three identical villas. One of them belongs to the co-owner of the Penta financial group, Marek Dospiv, who has completed the Prague development project Waltrovka and is preparing to rebuild Masaryk railway station in the center of the metropolis.
Just a few tens of meters from Dospiv’s villa grows another large villa. Until recently, there used to be a popular Swiss house, but at the end of last year it was removed and made room for its wooden successor. Daniel Kučera, a lawyer from nearby Vrchlabí, is officially mentioned as the owner, but the sparrows on the roofs of Prague and Špindlerův Mlýn think that the new building should actually make the Prague lobbyist and businessman Roman Janoušek happy.
The spirit of Špindl has changed, the city is losing its original image, says the mayor there |
We leave the buzzing construction site and descend to the center to the Elbe. On the left, we walk through celebrities and the Silver Rock disco with the Hotel Praha. The property is owned by Mountain Properties, French businessman Stéphane Michael Pacaud, who drew attention to himself a month ago with the purchase of the Penthouse porn magazine for more than $ 11 million.
We cross the Elbe and pass the First Republic Hotel Savoy, which belongs to the developer and sponsor of the People’s Party, Luďek Sekyr. Once again, we are jumping in front of tourists on electric skis and e-bikes. We return to the parking lot at the cable car in Medvědín, where we end our journey through the villas of influential Prague finances.