"A gradnja" starts development of luxury Sports-recreation center "Kopaonik-Lisina" - suites already offered to the market

Novi Sad-based company "A gradnja" will start development of luxury Sports-recreation center "Kopaonik-Lisina" at total useful surface of 100,000 square meters prior to November 15 at the latest. According to the words of the owner of this company, Aca Drača, an elite settlement will be built at 11 ha of land at one of the most beautiful places on Kopaonik prior to year 2013, and it will include about 2,400 suites of various structures (at total surface of 60,000 square meters), 4,000 square meters of garage space, multifunctional office spaces at 6,000 square meters, congress hall (also multifunctional - theater, cinema) at 600 square meters, a clinic at 400 square meters, as well as outdoor amphitheater for about 200 people.

According to Aca Drača whose company "A gradnja" is the investor, the architect and the contractor in this project, this settlement, according to the project, will also include a church, a trade center with a market, pedestrian zones and squares, courts for tennis and mini sports, trim track, bawling room, modern bobsleigh track, skating rink, mini ski track with the area for sleighs, as well as the most luxurious wellness and spa centers (Turkish bath, Finnish sauna...).

For the needs of the complex, "A gradnja" has also anticipated construction of substation, gas and LPG station, two central LPG-powered boiler rooms, water factory, plumbing and sewerage system, electric grid and city lighting system, 2 kilometers of streets within the complex, units for communal waste recycling and ecological-biological treatment of wastewater, etc. In addition, as Drača points out, the company expects to get big help from the local self-government and the state, which is expected to allot concession for construction of a ski lift.

- We have already obtained all bulding permits and we are ready to start the works. But it is a big project and it will be divided into several phases. However, in order for everything to be done as the project anticipates, the funds must be found for the development of necessary infrastructure. That is where we definitely count on assistance from local self-government and the state, the carriers of development of that region, because our opinion is that this settlement is not only interesting to us as investors, but also to the whole country – Aca Drača pointed out at the beginning of the conversation with eKapija's staff, explaining that "A gradnja" has already received support from "certain" government structures.

The first phase of development, which will commence prior to November 15 at the latest, includes construction of the first 370 suites (3 buildings at total surface of 20,000 square meters), which are already offered to the market and their prices range between 1,400 and 2,000 EUR per square meter and depend on the way of payment, structure of the suite, whether the suite is furnished, etc. The value of works in the first phase is estimated at about 30m EUR. As Drača explained, about 20,000 square meters of suites will be built and their size will range between 28 and 80 square meters.

- The first phase of development, which includes construction of 3 facilities with 370 suites, should be completely finished in 2 years. We obtained the project finance for the first facility that will be built from KBC bank, and the first tenants will be able to move in that building already at the end of the next year. In this phase, we also plan to change the location of the long-distance power line that passes alongside our complex and supplies power to "Sunčani Vrhovi" complex. We should then install the ski lift with gondolas on that location prior to year 2010 and that ski lift should satisfy the needs of our settlement and settlement Lisina, which is situated above ours and includes about 5,000 residential facilities. This settlement is quickly expanding and all tenants and guests of that part of Kopaonik will be able to use the lift.

The second phase of development, as Drača explains, should commence next year and some works from this phase will be carried out simultaneously with the works from the first phase. The second phase will be divided into three subphases and, if everything goes as planned, it should be finished in about 5 years.

- The conditions for construction of big substation of 16 MW should be created already next year. We've done all the necessary works with the power supply company and they signed the contract with Institute "Mihajlo Pupin", which will elaborate the project. The power of this substation equals the power of the substation that Kopaonik currently uses – Drača explains and says that the second phase also anticipates development of facilities for resting and recreation.

- Our wish is to provide maximum comfrot to the buyers of our suites and potential guests. Every buyer of our suite will be able to use the services of the agency that will be formed by us to maintain the whole settlement and all suites, rent them if needed, change the sheets and clean them... Every buyer is obliged to sign the contract with us on public utility maintenance of the whole settlement. We are currently negotiating with the clinics that deal with medical tourism because we want to open a clinic within the complex where the people will be able to have, for example, their teeth fixed, and we are seriously thinking about opening a hospital for plastic surgery... – Drača explains.

The final phase of development will include construction of restricted-purpose facilities, such as heliport, "de lux" and presidential suites.

- We haven't decided yet if we are going to sell "de lux" and presidential suites or only to rent them. According to the project, presidential suites will have three levels, a living room at 150 square meters, special premises for bodyguards, a room for attendants, special entrances... – says Drača and points out that "de lux" suites will be somewhat smaller, but not less luxurious.

As he explains, "de lux" suites will have, for example, a jakuzzi in the living room...

- The prices of the other suites fit the conditions in Serbia, especially in this phase of development. Of course, the prices will not stay at this level as the development progresses – says Aca Draža and adds that, once finished, "Kopaonik-Lisina" will be the most luxurious part of Kopaonik.

By the way, this settlement is situated at 1,260 meters above the sea surface, 20 km away from Raška and only 4 km away from tourist complex "Konaci".