Text: Eszter Götz

Within the framewok of an investment worth 430 billion HUFs, a group of American and Israeli investors has had a complex of first-class category casinos (with more than 1000 tables), hotels and a bath complex designed to be built on the northern shores of the lake preserving its intact natural conditions so far. The management of the village named Sukoró supported the plans reasoning that Lake Velencei has been undeservedly left out of from the lakeside tourism of the past few years as developments centred around Lake Balaton and Tisza. The group acquired the area via an exchange of lots with the state, and managers of the region concerned hope to have as many as 2,500-3,000 new workplaces with this large-scale investment. However, this giga-investment may have the serious consequence that the area unprotected at present will border on several national parks as well as territories of protected animals. Regulations concerning the area only allow for low density development – the question is whether or not a busy and noisy district of entertainment equipped with public utilities which produces a large quantity of garbage and is lit also by night fits in this category.