Pardubice have postponed the decision on the sale of the Ideon center again

Pardubice - The leadership of Pardubice today postponed for the second time the decision on the intention to sell the exhibition center Ideon for nearly 20 million crowns to its tenant. The building has been leased by Petr Vašíček and his company PVV for 99 years until 2093. The city cannot unilaterally terminate the contract. The entrepreneur plans to expand the center with a congress hotel. However, some councilors today pointed out the differing versions of the submitted expert opinion, and the presenter, Deputy Mayor Helena Dvořáčková (ANO), ultimately withdrew the proposal.

Dvořáčková spoke on the phone during a break in the meeting with the author of the report. "I asked him to make a final assessment, summarizing all the previous calculation methods, so that we don't deal with five papers here, but only one," said Dvořáčková.

Opposition councilor Štěpánka Fraňková (Association for Pardubice) repeatedly criticized the work of the Deputy Mayor. "We are not in court, and I will not denounce you here for your false statements. … I would like to ask you, when you present the report next time, please do not prepare it yourself," stated Fraňková. At the previous council meeting, Dvořáčková withdrew the proposal due to numerous comments and objections regarding ambiguities and inaccuracies.

The majority of the discussants were not against the sale. The balance of the lease for the city over 22 years has been negative due to necessary investment in repairs.

Part of the future contract will also include the establishment of preemptive rights in favor of the city for the properties until 2027, except for the terrace, at the original purchase price. The new owner will also have to maintain the use of the facility as an exhibition and social center until 2047 and register this obligation in the land registry. At the same time, the lease agreement for the lands around the building will be terminated, allowing the city to utilize them.

According to councilor Jan Linhart (Patriots of Pardubice), the acquired lands would enable the development of the nearby municipal swimming complex. A 25-meter pool could be built on them and the summer sunbathing area could be expanded.

The lease agreement for Ideon was established in 1994. The city hall wanted to terminate it repeatedly, but the validity was confirmed by the court. The entrepreneur has a contractual obligation to ensure repairs of Ideon; the city has won two legal disputes against him. Vašíček had to reconstruct the building's facade, parts of the roof, and replace the storefronts at his own expense. He paid the city for the repair of the remaining part of the roof and interest for delays. However, larger investments would likely have to be paid by the city.

Ideon, which was built in 1963, originally served as a swimming pool. By covering the pool in the 1990s, the main hall of the center was created.