Investments, Latvia, Markets and Companies, Transport

Gunars Kirsons.

As Kirsons proposed at the Investment and Business Promotion Council meeting yesterday, the monorail could connect Riga Central Market and a planned-to-be parking lot on Maskavas Street. The rails would go from the Daugava to parallel Krasta Street.

"People could leave cars and continue their journey by tram," Kirsons said, adding that the monorail and its infrastructure would be striking to the eye and would attract tourists.

"Lido" owner admitted to LETA that so far no financial calculations for the project have been made, but, in his opinion, the project could turn out to be successful. Negotiations with prospective partners have already been launched.

The entrepreneur does not yet know either how high the monorail could be erected and how exactly it would look like. "Artists and architects will have a lot of work to do on it," Kirsons said.

Deputy Mayor of Riga Ainars Slesers pointed out that several rather unattractive buildings and garages are located in the area where the monorail would traverse, and suggested that this could be an opportunity for a private investor to turn the territory into a "grand project".

The Investment and Business Promotion Council assesses the idea positively and ruled that the proposal would be reviewed again later when more precise estimates of the project become available.

G. Kirsons is planning also to build a large cafe worth EUR 7 million (LVL 4.9 million) in Riga's Vermanes Park, he said at the Riga City Council's Investment and Business Promotion Council meeting.

As Kirsons pointed out, the cafe could be located near the park's outdoor stage.

According to Kirsons, this cafe could serve around 7,000 clients a day.

Riga Vice Mayor Ainars Slesers (Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way) expressed support for the idea and urged Kirsons to submit a detailed proposal.