From 24 hours to San Remo nothing else is said. The news is one that causes discussion. To find out more we went to the source.
President Walter Lagorio it is true that he sold the shares of his dream, the restructuring and tourist relaunch of the old Matuzian port, the “Port of Sanremo srl“, for 3 million euros?
We manage to reach Lagorio, an enlightened industrialist in the oil sector, a lover of jazz, a good drummer in his youth, father of Unoenergy, one of the most important private companies not only in Imperia, Sanremo, but in Italy. Our question understandably generates fractions of silence at the other end of the line. In order not to lose contact, do we immediately add “the figure is wrong, in default, in excess”? At this point comes Lagorio’s lapidary, obvious answer: “Wrong figure”. Stop.
To the next question: the mayor of Sanremo Alberto Biancheri what role did he play in this negotiation? The answer: “None, zero, it was exclusively a discussion between private individuals, between companies both interested who met several times and who in the end chose this solution”.
Lagorio perhaps intercepting in our eyes a lack of credibility due to terse answers has begun to melt, to underline that this transition between his consortium (which also included “Ports de Monaco” (Prince Albert II) and other industrialists of the caliber of Casiraghi) could instead open the doors to a greater revival of tourism in Sanremo, to the economic development and not only of the city of flowers, of the entire province given the economic power of the new players on the field.
For Lagorio the dream has certainly vanished, but for some time the project had been becoming increasingly difficult, solutions and definitions were being postponed from year to year. Too many problems? Too many appeals, quibbles. Specters of years of pending civil lawsuits must finally have won. Already two years ago there was talk of a possible sale. The “Porto di Sanremo srl”, according to certain news to date between projects, architects, and others, has already spent over 1 million and 200 thousand euros. And it was mainly two companies who wanted to relaunch the Porto Vecchio, the Italian-Monegasque one of Lagorio and the English one. And yesterday, after negotiations, England won. Due and fortunately to the pandemic, the Coronavirus, the Russia-Ukraine war, the increase in gas, electricity, petrol, the prices of raw materials, everything and more, the inadequacy of too many Italian politicians and public administrators , of our country’s suffocating bureaucracy, of appeals, counter-appeals, of Manzoni-like hoaxes especially when at stake are ideas, projects, visions, business plans with too many zeros the result of what is happening and what happened in Sanremo, at the Finally, let’s hope we can see it too. Within 5-10 years.
An example for everyone? To stay on topic “the Eco-monster” of Portosole, what was supposed to be a hotel by the sea, perhaps even the location of a “Casino d’estate”, like in Montecarlo, has instead passed 20 years and instead of being demolished it is still in its place. A shame for Sanremo. The former mayor Leo Pippione already talked about it in the 80s and 84s. Ditto all the others who followed, the same Biancheri when about 8 years ago, before during and after the elections and his first term as mayor, he promised that the “Eco-monster” of Portosole had to be demolished. Words in the wind.
But who bought the “Porto di Sanremo srl”? Who are the probable builders of the new large futuristic port of Sanremo which will also incorporate Portosole? Extraterrestrials? No, it’s a couple, brothers David and Simon Reubenbetter known in the exclusive and international galaxy of “funds” as “Reuben Brothers“. Born in India, immigrated to Iraq, then moved to London, becoming “British billionaire”, they landed, before arriving in Sanremo by buying Portosole, in New York City where they created a large portfolio. Their latest movements in Manhattan gaining notoriety and dollars in the grilled meat sector, sashimi, cocktails and more.
With them in Sanremo there is a brilliant and trusted Italian, the architect Michael DeLucchi, born in Ferrara, born in 1951. His gospel is “aesthetics and functionality, the creation of avant-garde spaces that are livable and humane”. He has designed all over the world, from Asia to Europe, Compasso d’Oro in the years 1989-’91 and ’94, he has designed objects for Hermès, Frau, Alessi, Olivetti, Philips, Siemens information technology, he has renovated buildings in Japan for NTT, in Germany for Deutsche Bank, in Switzerland for Novartis, Piaggio, Poste Italiane, Telecom Italia, Enel, Intesa S. Paolo, Unicredit. He is the father of the “Ptolemy lamp”, produced by Artemide, the best-selling lamp in the world. The top model costs over 10,000 euros. Today it is available on e-commerce at a discounted price: 8,681.42 euros, almost 17 million old lire. It will probably also be up to his visions, according to the “Reuben Brothers” programs, to make Sanremo a new and more attractive Porto Cervo or Saint Tropez, Portofino, Montecarlo. Also thanks to its Casino and Festival, a new Las Vegas, just to mention a name, a safe haven for the rich of the world, crowned heads, sheikhs, entrepreneurs of the thousand and one nights, multi-billionaires from the entire planet.
It seems like a dream. Those who have their feet on the ground and a good memory, however, ask themselves questions. For example, the Brothers’ project is completely different from that of Lagorio: theirs foresees the main entrance in San Martino, that of the founder of Unoenergy focused a lot on the construction of a new square that widened towards the sea starting from Bresca square, in the heart of Sanremo which will probably be cancelled: and then if you have to start over since about 4 years have already been lost, when will you see the inauguration of the English? In 2028-2030? Considering then that, probably not their fault, but to bring down the “Ecomostro” the works have already started for 2 years and everything is still intact, a few questions are more than legitimate. Also because the dish is greedy, the concession that the Municipality gives to new “buyers” is 65 years old.
Surely we are faced with new facts that are very important for the future of Sanremo. But be careful, it’s easy to dream of sensational successes, to think of becoming the Las Vegas of Europe, Casino, elegance, money in spades, sheikhs, very rich Russians, jewels, money and business in spades. In short, we wouldn’t want anyone to think that Sanremo could also host a second Cap Canaveral, a platform from which to launch future spaceships full of tourists, destination Moon or Mars.
Sanremo, the Las Vegas of Europe? Also a second launch base for the Moon?