INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT

Elektrenai rushes into the Europe with ambitious, innovatory projects, so investors are invited to visit Elektrenai and to implement new projects.

The town is ready for renovation, it ready to establish the new spaces for entertainments, sport and recreation.

Elektrenai is the geographical center of the Vilnius-Kaunas region with the population of 1.6 million. The distance to both cities centers is 50 km. Good interconnection (by Vilnius- Kaunas highway) with the largest cities and international roads, well-developed regional roads to the resting-place.

Till the year 2010 is planned to expand the recreational tourism zone of Elektrenai: to establish modern amusement park “Energoland” with American hills (the support for infrastructure projection from the EU structural funds is already received); to reconstruct the objects, which are situated in the nearest environment: swimming pool, the complex of yacht-club, ice palace; to expand the infrastructure of Elektrėnai sea water area; to establish water sport and leisure centre with the windsurfing base and sailing school. Private investors, intending to build hotels, restaurants, cafes, provide other tourism services, also show initiatives. Elektrenai town as the tourism attraction centre vision, is being strengthened by prepared and confirmed detailed plan of the recreational tourism zone and by public infrastructure technical project of the recreational tourism zone (Energolend), prepared with support of the EU structural funds (engineering networks, parking places, service infrastructure are projected, financial-economical analysis is performed).

Elektrėnai Municipality already has the experience of implementing the projects with private investors.  For the project implementation is used the model of public and private partnership, based on the long-term concession with project partners. In the year 2006 such contract, relating to the construction of trading and recreational complex in the Elektrenai town territory near the Vilnius- Kaunas highway, has been signed with the “Irlanda” corporation.

For investors we can rent free public land areas (the detailed plans, potentiality study and other documentation of the project are prepared) and propose the equipped public infrastructure.

PLANNED RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL, SCIENCE, SPORT AND LEISURE OBJECTS IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ELEKTRENAI

THE PROJECT “DEVELOPMENT OF ELEKTRENAI RECREATIONAL TOURISM ZONE (ENERGOLAND)”

One of the tourism business and infrastructure development tasks in Vilnius and Kaunas dipolis strategic plan is to identify and to prepare for use dipolis region tourism attraction objects and tourism products. One of the tasks for the period 2004-2010 is to establish an amusement park “Energoland” (Elektrenai municipality, private investors). The same task is intended and by Elektrenai municipality council 11 August 2004 decision Nr. TS-143 in confirmed Strategic development plan of Elektrenai municipality.

The objective of this investment project is to present opportunities and conditions of development, renovation and construction of Elektrenai amusement park “Energoland” proving necessity of the project. The worldwide practice shows, that appearance of the amusement park increase both local residents welfare and foreign tourists interest of the town. At present, European thematic parks industry consists of 19 biggest parks, which are visited by more than one million visitors each year and 45 parks, which are visited by 0.5 – 1 million visitors per year. Annual attendance is about 70 million visitors and annual income of amusement parks reach 1.5 billion dollars. The industry of Europe constitutes 1/3 greatness of the American amusement parks industry. This fact shows that the industry of water parks, amusement parks and thematic parks quickly and successfully develops. It is hardily invested, establishing new parks, renovating the old ones. So, the conclusion is, that now is a suitable  moment  to make an investment in this sphere,  the more especially as the niche of amusement park services is not completely filled yet.

Project objectives: by implementing the project, there will be established the leisure and active recreation complex “Energoland”, It will consists of American hills, free fall tower. The public infrastructure is also developed.

Stage of construction: The technical infrastructure project has been prepared.

Geographical location: Distances: 50 km from Vilnius, 50 km from Kaunas. The territory is near the Vilnius–Kaunas–Klaipeda highway, in the centre of the town of Elektrenai, 10 km from the international railway line.

Juridical status: The land belongs to the state; it is transmitted to the use of public institution “Elektrenai sport, tourism and entertainment centre”.

Infrastructure: infrastructure will be developed 2007-2008.

Territorial use: Recreational

Territorial area: 5.8 ha

Building area: 3.5 ha

Permitted high: Unlimited

Parking places: 370 places, 0.3 ha, 3 000 m²

Investments: 10 – 20 mln. euro

Planning period: 2006–2007 m.

Construction period: 2007–2009

Project author: Administration of the Municipality of Elektrenai

Contact person: Danute Aleksiuniene, Head of the Division of Public Relations and Strategic Planning, Elektrines st. 8, Elektrenai, Lithuania, tel.: +370 5 285 8035, alex@elektrenai.lt

THE CONCEPSION OF ELEKTRENAI INTERNATIONAL SPORT COMPLEX MODERNIZATION AND SPORT TOURIZM INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Elektrenai has perfect, by its parameters, multi-functional building (satisfies European standards), which was built in 1973 (area 5926,32 m²) and which can place 1300 spectators and 200 skaters at one time. This is the first ice palace in Lithuania. This ice palace by its ice arena dimensions satisfies international standards and Olympic games requirements. The ice palace is a first school for Lithuanian ice-hockey players. It has deep traditions and experience in organizing international events, Lithuanian and world ice – hockey championships. In this ice palace, the qualitative events, corresponding to need of participants and spectators, could be organized, though the present condition of an ice palace does not warrant qualitative competition, trainings, leisure and events organization.

The objective of an ice palace is to become modern, universal winter sport branches and entertaining activity complex. Though Lithuania is classed as the type of country with moderate and northern climate, however winter sport and leisure development opportunities are limited because of climate. Ice palace continuing its traditions of preparing professional ice hockey and figure skating sportsmen, could also become ice recreational zone with training artificial snow mounds and mini traces, trainers, ice cafes etc. By competitive aspect, the object of such type would be promising both on national and at international dimension and would become additional part of attraction in the context of Elektrenai town. In the national sport complex modernization and development vision is planned one more important object – sport boarding school.  In this school talented children from all Lithuania and even from foreign countries would be invited to go in for sports and live. It is planned, that chosen 11-12 classes’ schoolchildren, would study in specialized classes of educational institutions (secondary school, gymnasium) of Elektrenai, live in ice school and go in for sport in an ice palace. The ice school should be comfortable both for sportsmen and for trainers, therefore it is planned to equip there sports and training classes, rooms for discussion of meetings, sleeping premises, dining room, library etc. Not during a season of academic year in ice school it is planned to attract national and international sports camps, therefore the object should guarantee convenient conditions of a life, rest and playing sports the whole year.

                The total need of the financial resources necessary for renovation and development of an ice palace is about 13.5 mln. Litas. The project is planned to implement by two stages (look the table):

ACTIONS / SERVICES	THE SUM, Lt
I STAGE
RECONSTRUCTION OF AN ICE PALACE	10 500 000
IISTAGE
EQUIPMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL ICE PLATFORM	3 000000
MODERNIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT TOTAL:	13 500 000

The result of the modernized ice palace and newly established ice school - the generated Elektrenai national sports complex could become the strong competitor to the European winter sports Centers and also could attract a part of world ice hockey players and figure skaters which would come here to train before the important competitions.

PROJECT “YOUTH COAST”

Objectives of the project: to establish a modern complex, where will be reached to develop tourism, recreation. The centers of new technologies will be established. Now the complex consists of various independent projects, which purpose – leisure and entertainments, tourism, recreation, informal education.

Stage of construction: planned

Geographical location: 600 m from Kaunas – Vilnius highway , central part of town, on the shore of the lake.

Investment environment: the detailed plan of the territory and the study of opportunities of development of water storehouse infrastructure of are prepared; the investment conception based on the public and private partnership model and concessions principle are prepare also.

Infrastructure: developed

Territorial use: public, commercial and recreational

Territorial area: 12 ha, in future up to 7 ha, including territory of lake.

Area of buildings: up to 60 000 m².

Permitted height: 27 m, 2–9 floors.

Parking places: 800–900.

Investments: 30 mln. euro.

Planning period: 2006-2009

Construction period: 2007–2012

In Lithuania and furthermore in Elektrenai there are no analogues of planned park of technologies and informal education and entertainments complex, though implementing the general future vision of city, it is necessary to estimate opportunities which Elektrenai has and a status in spheres of similar activity, specifically in sectors of recreation and entertainments. Especially grateful conditions for development of tourism, using a natural environment – Elektrenai water basin, coast and islands landscape.

For establishment and implementation of a complex are invited partners – private and public institutions. For implementation of the project is envisaged to use schemes of private and public partnership and concession practice.