Amsterdam's prostitutes to move to the outskirts of the city
Visitors have been overrunning Amsterdam's old town for years. The red light district there is a real tourist magnet. That's why the city is making plans: The prostitutes are to move into a high-rise building on the outskirts of the city. Residents and the EU Medicines Agency (EMA), which is based there, are already protesting.
Women have been offering sex in windows in Amsterdam for centuries - now the famous red light district is to move from the old town to an erotic center on the outskirts of the city. To this end, the city government announced a choice of location, which is unlikely to put an end to the controversial debate surrounding the plans.
The high-rise building with workplaces for around 100 prostitutes as well as restaurants, sex theaters and clubs is to be built in a district on the southern edge of the city. Local residents and the EU Medicines Agency (EMA), which is based there, have already protested. "The search for a location for an erotic center is a difficult task," said the city administration. Discussions with potential investors and operators of the center helped determine the choice of location.
"Due to the enormous growth in tourism, the old town, especially the red light district, has been under pressure for years." The erotic center is one of the measures to make the city center more liveable again. In return for the 100 places for sex workers planned in the center, a similar number of jobs in the red light district would be eliminated. Not much of the revealing flair of the red-lit windows in "De Wallen", as the old town district is called, will remain in the sex high-rise. "The windows of the erotic center will only be inside the building," announced the city government.
All visitors would enter through a secure entrance and would have to abide by the house rules. "In this way, we want to combat sightseeing tourism and keep disruptive groups away." The city council is due to discuss the choice of location at the beginning of next year. According to the city, it could then take around seven years before the erotic center opens.
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The planned move of Amsterdam's prostitutes to an erotic center on the city outskirts has sparked protests from local residents and the EU Medicines Agency, as the new location could attract more sex tourism. The controversial plan includes relocating around 100 prostitutes into a high-rise building, which will also house sex theaters, clubs, and restaurants.
Source: www.ntv.de
