Georgy Kalatoxishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Recently the Fund of Co-Investment of Georgia (FCG) has presented the first major project of “Tbilisi Panorama” which costs about $1.5 billion. FCG was initiated by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili for “the fulfillment of business projects thorough co-investment.”
It is interesting that the first major project of the fund requires the development of tourist infrastructure in the old part of the Georgian capital, rather than the construction of new plants and factories, as many people hoped, when they voted for the Georgian Dream. But tourism is the most promising sphere of Georgia. The number of tourists is growing. The “Tbilisi Panorama” includes development of infrastructure of the old city with its tourist routes. It is planned to build many beautiful hotels and cable ways which would connect four new tourist clusters of the Georgian capital – Sololaki District Hill, Sololaki Hanging Gardens, Freedom Square, and Irakly II Square.
A tourist can use a cable way and watch Tbilisi’s beautiful center from above. New cable ways supply already existing cable ways from Rike Square to Narikala Fortress which was built in the 13th century and Mtatsminda, the holy mountain with graves of famous artists and social activists, including Griboedov and Nino Chavchavadze.
Tbilisi’s center will soon be covered with cable ways passing over squares and districts of the old city. They won’t be troublesome for local residents – a French company is ready to produce not only safe, but also noiseless cable ways with beautiful cars for 4-6 people.
The main sponsor of the fund chose the project because Ivanishvili is a fan of architecture. Ivanishvili spent a significant part of his money for construction of various palaces. For example, Tsar Rostom Palace, where the head office of the ruling coalition is situated today. One of reasons for disputes between Ivanishvili and Saakashvili was architecture. “The man is stupid about architecture,” Ivanishvili commented on the new building of the musical theatre on Rike Square. Ivanishvili prefers works by Japanese Sina Takamazu. The billionaire doesn’t dare destroy buildings constructed under the former president, but at least he tries to show his enemy who has real taste in architecture. Fortunately, the final verdict in the dispute between two city builders will be made by society and history.
