environmental conditions
Recent discussions follow the committees backing the budget for a group of projects tied to the Port Aventura area. The plan involves advancing three infrastructure ventures: an extension at El Prat, a major urban renewal linked to the Hard Rock project at Camp de Tarragona, and a key busi ness investment connected to the Urban Master Plan and its related tourism developments. None of the items appear with finalized allocations in the Catalan budget for 2023, because the first two are driven by private investment while the third hinges on regulatory framing under the PDUs. The question persists: what are the main obstacles threatening the mega project beside Port Aventura?
environmental conditions
At present, the district authorities await separate reports from the councils of Acció Climàtica, Alimentació and Rural Agenda and Ben Treball. In the most critical case, the environmental authority has not yet issued a conclusive PDUs report, a shortfall acknowledged by the government. The advisor area, led by Juli Fernández, has stated several times that the procedures meet their purposes. The standard process remains pending positive input from other departments, but municipal elections nearby could slow decision-making. It is reported that Salou City Council criticized the pause in the project and implied that investors might withdraw, a claim denied by the management. If the mega complex proceeds, one region with sensitive biodiversity along the coast could face potential harm from construction and cementing of areas previously protected. Environmental concerns are voiced by spokesperson Eloi Redon of Nature Hard Rock.
Sale of land to CriteriaCaixa
Both the Aturem Hard Rock platform and the so‑called commons or the Committee of Union and Progress regard CriteriaCaixa as the principal beneficiary of the land deal tied to Port Aventura. CriteriaCaixa is the holding arm of Fundació La Caixa that owns the adjacent land. A recurring political refrain from past and present leaders, including Quim Torra and Pere Aragonès, has emphasized that the operation should not rely on public money. Yet critics argue the plan could reclassify land long unused for decades into a recreational and tourism center, with projected value around 120 million euros. The government pursues a structure where the land deal is managed by Incasol (a public company) and governed by an active purchase option, though no exercise of that option has occurred. A proposed sale would transfer land next to Lumine to Hard Rock at roughly the original purchase price on the date of acquisition. A parliamentary spokesperson from the Comú Podem alliance, David Sid, indicated that the North American company is uneasy with the financial terms, suggesting the arrangement remains precarious.
Increase in gambling
In the coming weeks, Nature Hard Rock plans to press for the revocation of the casino license granted after a public competition. The spokesperson states that the action will involve an alliance with groups affected by gambling because environmental assets related to the project are not typically defined as stakeholders. MP Cid, who has long criticized the project, noted that the entertainment complex could host up to 1,200 machines, a claim tied to the 2016 master plan revision that, in his view, still shapes the project today. Support from parties like Junts, PSC, PP and Ciutadans has varied, and the overall political narrative reflects ongoing tensions around how to balance development with local concerns.
economic model
The environmental considerations, including land redefinition and PDUs, illuminate the deep divides among parties. The debate centers on two divergent visions: one favors bold economic injections through the Hard Rock installation to spur job creation and tourism—a boost for the regional economy; the other cautions that mass tourism offers limited long‑term benefits and could fail to uplift all residents. Redón argues that Salou, though highly visited, still harbors pockets of inequality. The coalition dynamics, including the influence of Junts and ERC, shape how the project progresses and what form the final development might take, with some viewing the plan as a path to diversification through fairs and conventions while others worry about overreliance on a single mega project.
Overall, the debate frames a classic clash between environmental stewardship and economic ambition. Stakeholders warn that haste could leave biodiversity at risk and long‑term sustainability in question, while supporters insist that strategic investment is essential to maintain regional competitiveness and employment. The discussions emphasize how local governance must reconcile urban planning, tourism strategy, and environmental protection in a manner that serves both current residents and future visitors.