Project in Stainz

Green light for luxury hotel in Weingarten

The hotel is to be built in this idyllic location.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

The Stainz municipal council drew a line under months of sometimes heated debate: The controversial hotel project in the picturesque Engelweingarten was given the green light. Opponents are protesting.

A luxury hotel instead of a quaint inn (already closed), eleven chalets - officially called "Weingartenhäuschen" - in the middle of the historic Engelweingarten in Stainz: if a Graz-based investor and the local council have their way, no stone will be left unturned in the green idyll of the West Styrian Schilcher town. A large majority of the ÖVP, SPÖ and ÖVP voted in favor of the controversial tourism project on Thursday evening - against the wishes of a citizens' initiative that had been campaigning against the plans for months.  

This old inn is to make way for a luxury hotel.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Although it was made clear that second homes are excluded and that the new tourist accommodation must not be higher than the old inn, these conditions are not enough to appease local residents and critics. They fear for the quality of life and have announced that they will take the matter to the Supreme Court. The new municipal council decision had become necessary after hair-raising procedural flaws: The designation of 17,000 square meters of building land - which has since shrunk to just over 15,000 - was waved through without public approval.

Possibly with consequences for the mayor: Karl Bohnstingl (ÖVP) is being investigated on suspicion of abuse of office.