Twelve investments and investment ideas that drew greatest attention of eKapija's users in first half of 2010

HOLIDAY INN HOTEL NOVI SAD - Although it was much earlier announced that the second hotel from world-renowned hotel chain Holiday Inn in Serbia would be built in Kragujevac, it has been decided that the hotel be opened in Novi Sad. The project for construction of a facility at 8,500 square meters, on the crossroads of Subotica Boulevard and Futog Road, was presented at the Tourism Fair. The investor - Aleksandar Gradnja - is going to invest about 11 million euros in this hotel, and it will be the first hotel in the capital city of Vojvodina that will operate within an international brand, with 4+ stars. The hotel should comprise a wellness zone with an indoor swimming pool, a conference center with several multifunctional halls, a restaurant with international cuisine and other additional contents …

BRAND OUTLET BELGRADE – EYEMAXX - After finishing the logistics center at Konstantin Veliki airport in Niš, Austrian company Eyemaxx presented the public the project for its first outlet center in Serbia, the model for which will be Austrian Parndorf. The value of the investment is 35 million euros, the facility will occupy the surface of 9 hectares, and it will be built on the lot of 50 ha, which is situated next to Belgrade-Novi Sad highway.

BEOGRAD ART HOTEL (BAH) IN KNEZ MIHAJLOVA STREET – Belgrade has finally got a hotel in Knez MIhailova Street, and all newspapers have written about the glamorous opening and surprisingly large number of guests during the first few days of life of this hotel, which was opened in former, now completely reorganized, building of Progres. There are 50 rooms, 5 suites, bar, restaurant, sauna, and two conference rooms on 9 floors. Beograd Art Hotel operates as a part of Todor Hotels, which also comprises Aleksandar hotel, and it is owned by company Todor from Vrnjačka Banja.

CHINA TRADE CENTER IN BELGRADE + CHINA MARKET PLACE - The Chines are coming to Serbia, they are building, granting loans, investing, and the works on future "Chinese bridge" across the Danube will start soon. According to the words of the representatives of Chinese investors from company Diplon, upon the completion of construction of the China Trade Center, which is the complex at 5.35 ha, situated on the crossroads of E75 Belgrade-Novi Sad highway and E70 Belgrade-Nis highway, it will be the most modern wholesale-business center in the Balkans. Total of 15 million euros have already been invested, another 10 million euros is being invested at the moment, while the third phase will include realization of an additional investment of 10 million euros. What follows is the formation of China Market Place ….

BELGRADE OUTLET SHOPPING CENTER – another outlet center in the vicinity of Belgrade, which will be built thanks to the investment by company Blackoak Developments, and it will be the first "factory outlet" center in Serbia. The complex will be situated in an excellent location, alongside E75 highway, in the municipality of Indjija, halfway between Belgrade and Novi Sad, that is, about 25 minutes away by car from these two largest cities in Serbia. Total surface of the center will be 30,000 square meters and it will include 125 outlets designed according to the world's latest architectural standards.

TQ CITY INĐIJA – successfully implemented project, at the surface of about 50,000 square meters, with a two-level shopping center at 16,000 square meters, supermarket, business center, housing block, congress hall, hotel, faculty, library, playhouse for kids, heliport, etc. Tradeunique - the project investor, author and contractor, has invested 35 million euros in this "City in the City", as the people in Indjija call it.

THERMAL RIVIERA IN BOGATIĆ – Is the author of this article allowed to cheer for some of the investments? Probably not, but this author must admit that she would be happy to dive into the future beautiful, warm swimming pools, which will be close enough to Belgrade and the majority of cities in northern and central Serbia. Namely, company Termalna Rivijera (Thermal Riviera) and Ljubiša Dragović announced the construction of a tourist-recreational complex for rest and recreation, which will utilize the geothermal potential of the Macva region, while its total surface is about 20 hectares. The complex will also comprise two hotels, one of which will be for rehabilitation, while the other will include sports contents, as well as a suite complex with 130 one-floor houses. The guests of this tourist complex will have at their disposal an unusual water attraction with indoor and outdoor hot baths, Olympic swimming pool and a swimming pool for kids, pirate island, wave beach, and a tower with spiral slide.

Mr. Dragović also told us a very interesting detail related to the future microclimate in the complex. Namely, at the proposal of experts from the Faculty of Mining and Geology, he planted a tropical palm on the lot, in the vicinity of activated wells. The palm is still alive, winter did not harm it, so that we hope to get small Caribbeans in the middle of Macva!

CHINESE AUTOMOBILE SHOWROOM CHERRY IN BELGRADE – This is another investment related to Chinese products, "directed by" company Kvis, a member of Israeli Komaro Group and its partner Caduri Group. This Automobile showroom was only the beginning of an exceptional offensive of Cherry automobiles in Serbia since the implementation of similar projects commenced in other major cities in Serbia shortly after this showroom was opened in Belgrade.

MOSAIC CITY MALL IN NOVI SAD – This complex will be situated on the space of former industrial zone, 1.5 km away from the city center, and 100 million euros will be invested in this mall at about 90,000 square meters. Investors Ocean Atlantic International and Immoeast are announcing the commencement of construction of that modern facility in late 2010 or early 2011.

SURDUČKI CASTLE – Another location for "weekend holidays". Settled on a cliff, 50 meters above the Danube in Surduk, with a beautiful view of the river and Banat, a complex of swimming pools, bars and parking lots will be opened as a part of a sports-recreation-tourist center, of which construction has been approved by the Commission for Plans of Stara Pazova. In case the rental of a part of the land in the municipality of Indjija is made possible, this complex will be supplemented by a hotel, restaurant complex, an indoor swimming pools, pier and marina.

THE BELGRADE CLINICAL HOSPITAL - A big private clinical hospital has been opened recently in New Belgrade. This facility should improve the situation with the waiting lists for the most difficult surgeries in the country. The state has accepted this institution as a partner, so that the first interventions have recently been done in that hospital, financed by the Republic Health Institute Institute. Seven operating rooms, the equipment for the most complicated surgical procedures in the fields of cardiac, vascular, abdominal, gynecology, laparoscopic, urological, oncologic, orthopedic, esthetical and ophtalmologic surgery, two rooms for intensive care and two rooms for semi-intensive care, luxury suites and 62 beds - are situated in this new clinical hospital at 6,000 square meters.

OASA MARINA IN GROCKA – You think that there are no more stories about future tourist-recreation centers in the vicinity of Belgrade on this list? Well, you're wrong. Here is the third beautiful story:

It is a future pearl of nautical, sports, gastronomic and recreational tourism of Belgrade, as well as Serbia. It is planned to comprise suites, hotel, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, athletic track, restaurants, sports halls, tennis courts, attractive marina... The idea of development and transformation of former holiday hotel of Investbanka into the new Tourist-nautical center is being implemented into action by Belgrade-based Appraisal Associates, under the leadership of Dragan Jovanović. Guess – if Dragan Jovanović is a former sportsman or a river lover?