Javier Blanco, his responsibilities within Globalia
It may seem like a sufficient task, apparently an intense job that occupies his time; but Javier does not stop there, his responsibilities within the group, which includes Air Europa, are many more, covering other sectors. It could be said of him, without fear of being wrong, that he is one of the key men of Globalia.
Javier Blanco’s questions and answers
– Just two and a half years ago Globalia bought Estepona Golf Why did they get into this?
– We are not new in golf, we already have another course in Mallorca, Golf Maioris. So we have some experience in the sector.
On the other hand, the group, which is one of the major land holders in Estepona, was presented with the opportunity to buy this course and we did so, because it so happens that it is right on the border of the land that we are going to develop in the near future. We are planning a very important real estate and tourist development next to this golf course, both for us and for the area.
Javier Blanco’s words on the initial idea of the project
“The initial idea, of course,” continues Javier Blanco, “was to acquire the golf course to complement and join it to the great project that we are going to carry out in its vicinity, but we also bought it because, as everyone knows, our president is a golf lover and, when he can, he plays almost every day.”
“Little by little we have been improving the facilities: the irrigation system, fixing the buggy paths, adapting fairways and tees, changing some holes… In short, the changes and evolution of this course are already noticeable. Somehow we have returned Estepona Golf to where it should be and where it was not in recent years”.
The goal of Globalia’s project unveiled by Javier Blanco
– You have started some deep field renovations that are not yet finished. What lies ahead? What are your objectives?
– In the medium and long term our goal is to position ourselves as a reference course in the area, with the best value for money. We don’t want to be a PGA course either, because in the end our client is an average player who comes to have fun, to make a good score on a well presented course, with good views and relatively easy to play for an average amateur.
Javier Blanco, his forecasts for future Estepona Golf projects
– What are your projects in the Estepona Golf area?
– Next to the field we have a land of one and a half million square meters, with almost three hundred and sixty thousand square meters of habitable land, with fifty percent residential and the other fifty percent tourist.
Our forecasts are to build 1,500 residential units and 1,800 more, including hotel rooms, tourist apartments, etc. Large sports facilities are also planned. We intend to create a sort of “sports amusement park”, with a large paddle tennis club, a tennis school, a lagoon for all kinds of water sports… and, of course, a large leisure and restaurant area. We will also have soccer camps to host teams from Northern Europe, pre-seasons, etc.
– What deadlines do you have in mind for this macro project?
– We currently have a provisional approval and we are waiting for the final approval very soon. We understand that we will begin to build the urbanization during this year. It is a transforming project for the area, for the whole Costa del Sol, because it is unique and of a great magnitude, where tourist and residential, sports, cultural, leisure and gastronomic development will be united and will complement each other. It is not easy, therefore, to adjust the timing.
We also want it to be a totally sustainable project, because the land is very large and the buildability is very low, with little environmental impact and many green areas.
– Is it going to be a revulsive for Estepona and how has the project been received?
– I agree that it is going to be a revulsive for the whole environment, for the whole Costa del Sol I would say. The truth is that we have had all the possible facilities from the administrations, both from the City Council and the Andalusian Government, which declared the project of general interest and included it within the Acceleration Plan, which hasgreatly facilitated the administrativeprocedures to achieve the total and definitive approval of the project, with all the favorable sectorial reports because it is a great complex very well thought out, very well conceived and transforming for the whole environment.
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