Helsinki underground tunnel the network was discussed this week in an article in the TravelPulse publication of the travel and tourism website. Below the Finnish capital is an extensive labyrinth of corridors and buildings used for retail, sports and cultural activities.

Helsinki began excavating its surface in the 1980s during the Cold War with the goal of creating an underground space that could accommodate the entire city’s population in the event of an attack.

Today, the tunnel network – considered one of the largest in the world – includes a swimming pool, go-kart track and hockey track, among others, and provides safe access for pedestrians in winter.

The proposed changes to the Finnish Lottery Act, which regulates gambling in the country, made headlines this week. The changes could mean banning slot machine advertising and blocking payments to gambling companies other than the state-owned Veikkaus monopoly.

The new bill would also oblige the authentication of Veikkaus’ slot machines to be launched for all gambling games available in the country. In addition, it requires the machines to be placed in places that allow for easy monitoring.

Veikkaus recently had to introduce mandatory loss limits for slot machines as part of a corporate social responsibility program designed to prevent customers from losing significant sums on gambling.

The Swedish construction company Skanska has signed an agreement to build Finland’s largest hotel. The 37,800 square meter hotel is located next to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and includes 700 rooms, five restaurants, meeting and recreation facilities.

The value of the contract for the hotel, called Comfort Hotel, is EUR 86 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2021 and is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2024.

The photovoltaic trade magazine Pv Magazine says that Finland is currently setting up a huge solar park that will produce 500 megawatts of solar power.

The park is located on an area of ​​500 hectares of abandoned peat in Palloneva, southern Finland. The Finnish authorities are currently evaluating a project that will be developed by an international consortium under a special package.

Finnish smartwatch manufacturer Suunto made waves this week when it launched a new fitness watch. Suunto 9 Peak is made of titanium and has been described as a stylish “Nordic design”.

The watch is available in four colors and two different styles. While praised for its looks and comfort, critics have criticized the watch’s operating system.

Helsinki’s underground network is a hidden gem

Helsinki began excavating the underground area in the 1980s and created a complex network of underground tunnels to protect the population from possible attacks during the Cold War.

Now, nearly 200 miles of underground space is used for a variety of services, including parking, walking trails and attractions such as Temple Square Church and the newly built Amos Rex Art Museum.

Finland is currently developing plans for an underground route connecting Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia across the Gulf of Finland.

The original story was published by TravelPulse on September 28, 2021 and can be found here.

Finland could introduce new reforms to the Lottery Act to protect customers

The Finnish government has proposed several amendments to the Lottery Act, which regulates gambling in the country. The proposed changes include blocking payments to non-regulated gambling companies.

The new bill requires that mandatory identification be extended to all gambling games and may also impose restrictions on the marketing of gambling products. Advertising would be banned on games that are considered particularly harmful, including slot machines.

In addition, the state gambling monopoly Veikkaus should move its machines to easily monitored locations and draw up a self-monitoring plan to prevent harmful behavior.

The original story was published by iGaming Business and Casino News Daily and can be found here and here.

A Swedish construction company is building Finland’s largest hotel

Skanska, a construction and development company based in Sweden, has signed a EUR 86 million contract to build Finland’s largest hotel next to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.

The hotel covers an area of ​​approximately 37,800 square meters and is managed by Nordic Choice Hotels, which maintains Clarion Hotel Helsinki.

It is expected to receive LEED Gold certification. The LEED green building rating system measures the sustainability and efficiency of buildings.

The original story was published by MarketScreener and Global Construction Review and can be found here and here.

The consortium is implementing a large solar project in Finland

An international consortium, which includes the Dutch De Vrije Wind and the Finnish Kaskisten Tuulivoima Oy and Kauhanummi Oy, plans to build a 500-megawatt solar power plant in Palloneva in southern Finland.

The Group also plans to build a 45-megawatt wind farm in the area, consisting of 500 hectares of abandoned peat, and aims to invest a total of EUR 400 million in both plants.

The original story was published in Pv magazine on September 29, 2021 and can be found here.

A Finnish company announced a new fitness watch

Suunto 9 Peak, the latest product from the Finnish sports watch manufacturer Suunto, has attracted the attention of technical critics for its stylish and lightweight design. The device is significantly lighter than competitive products like the Apple Watch.

However, while the extended battery life and data transfer feature have been praised, users have criticized the watch’s small display, sweep controls, and inability to incorporate third-party applications.

The original story was published by 9News and ChannelNews, and can be found here and here.

Tahira Sequeira

Helsinki Times