The investment, which plugged the budget hole, broke the record and is still not open. I'm waiting for the screening of the battle on the maritime front.
When you paste 54.052419, 14.900230 into a satellite map, what appears to your eyes is a chunk of cleared forest, the sand of construction and a structure its size rivaling that of a town nearby. If one were to take a quick look at a drone photo of the location, he or she would probably conclude that a huge cruise ship had by some miracle crashed into the waterfront. The 13 stories, 1,200 rooms for more than 3,000 people must be impressive, after all, it's supposed to be the largest hotel in Poland[1]. Thus, it can easily accommodate three times the population of Pobierowo, where it stands. As of 31/12/2022, the population of this locality was 935[2].
Yes, we are talking about the Golebiewski Hotel, which stubbornly refuses to open. Construction began in early 2018, the deed itself was signed in February 2017[3]. Initially, the project was planned to open quickly, as early as the 2020 season, but the COVID-19 pandemic and problems with the availability of workers caused delays[4]. Why isn't this colossus up and running yet? Let's start at the beginning, because it's a story for a good TV series (maybe don't ask for a happy ending).
The plot is more than 26 hectares in size, and yes, it has a local plan. The resolution is from 2013, and the outline of the activities even perfectly coincides with the plan. As we can read in the record, for this site the development area can contain a maximum of 20% of the plot, and the biologically active area - a minimum of 50% of the plot. As we can read in a 2019 article, for cutting 1,500 trees, the developer must plant 3,000 new ones[5]. This seems incomparably too little, especially looking at the location of the plot in the center of the forest ecosystem. The plan here allows a conditional building height of 50.0 meters, and after all, we are talking about an investment in the forest. The adoption of plans for investments is not something surprising. Many municipalities have similar practices. What is puzzling, however, is the scale of this project. Perhaps such an investor had to be somehow convinced, encouraged to this location?
In second place Pobierowo
For it should be noted that Pobierowo was not the first choice. Golębiewski's planned investment in its original location was in Leba. There it immediately aroused huge controversy. The mayor of Leba gave his support to the investment, as did a sizable group of residents, hoping for tax revenues and new jobs[6]. However, the project was met with opposition from naturalists and provincial officials, who considered it a potential ecological threat. The Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Gdansk did not approve the planned 25-meter-high structure, which was to be built in the Natura 2000 area, which includes the dunes, the waters of the Baltic Sea and the Sarbska Spit. The investment in Leba did not come to fruition.
record deal
Despite this, the construction plans were not abandoned and a tender was entered for a plot of land in another location - Pobierowo. Golębiewski entered the tender at the Rewal Municipality Office and acquired the plot for 50.5 million zlotys, breaking the transaction record for the Rewal municipality[7]. In Pobierowo, Golebiewski began building a hotel on the site of a former missile base, a plot of land the municipality received from the army[8]. The municipality was certainly happy about this, as it was indebted to its then-mayor Robert S. He was accused by the prosecutor's office of causing a hole in the municipality's budget of more than 21 million zlotys and misappropriating 17,000 zlotys[9]. He was said to have taken out loans for public purposes from parabanks. The interest rates grew rapidly. As a result, Rewal's debt at the end of September 2017 was nearly PLN 134 million, according to the chamber of accounts[10]. At the turn of 2016 and 2017. Ministry of Development and Finance granted the municipality about PLN 100 million in loans. Soon Mr. S. was dismissed from his position as mayor by Prime Minister Beata Szydło[11], and he became director of the hotel[12]. As we read in an article from early 2024, after a years-long trial he was sentenced to one year and six months' imprisonment, the others involved in the actions heard sentences of 8 to 18 months' imprisonment[13]. Wioletta Szatkowska-Musiał was appointed as director. She has been associated with the Arka Medical Spa Hotel facility in Kolobrzeg for the past 14 years[14].
make the dream come true
Tadeusz Golębiewski did not live to see the opening of the hotel; he died in June 2022[15]. That same year, the County Building Inspector in Gryfice found that the five outdoor pools had been built without the required building permit, constituting an arbitrary construction project. This led to the suspension of work on these facilities[16]. Legalization efforts are currently underway, and the owner of the facilities has already paid the appropriate legalization fees. The hotel is scheduled to open this time in the summer of 2025, and technical acceptance could begin early next year[17]. As Janusz Zaryczanski, the district building inspector, mentioned in an interview with money.pl - opening in this period is a realistic deadline.
don't believe in smiling visualizations
Probably the location of such a hotel in a large city would hurt less. Why? Because it would fit a little better into the landscape, we could talk about some kind of sustainability of this investment. Eleven stories on the site of a former forest ecosystem will not be replaced by new planting or the promise of gray water recovery. The scale is incomparable, and the strain on the infrastructure may simply not hold up. Yes, new jobs will be created (this is the main demand of the proponents of the investment), but as the example of Mikolajki, where Golebiewski also stands - this investment does not translate into anything more. The city is being wiped out. Let's also note that such a huge structure has to get media from somewhere. In truth, the hotel was not supposed to use the city's water supply, as there were seven wells on the plot, and according to assurances this is not supposed to affect the municipality's water intake[18]. Instead, the connection to the sewage system was to be made in nearby Łukęcin, which would relieve the burden on Pobierowo's infrastructure. In turn, the electricity supply was to be provided by a direct line from the transformer station in Niechorze.
Screenshot of the local land use plan on a satellite map
Magdalena Milert on the basis of municipal data and Google map
The construction of such a structure seems like a strategic game of urban planning. Unfortunately, reduced to money, debts, strategic assumptions and declared development. Let me remind you, we are talking about a facility that is supposed to be able to accommodate triple the population of the locality in which it is located.
In the discussion of urban planning, it is often emphasized that our country has been taken over by GM decisions and that we need local plans. I disagree with this assertion, because as this example shows, a plan is not everything. We need quality, good plans, not just their existence. I would be much happier if municipalities introduced landscape resolutions[19]. After all, its rationale emphasizes that landscaping is important for culture, society, economy and politics[20]. This resolution was not just a ban on putting up advertisements everywhere. The document was supposed to affect the quality of the shaped landscape, because the landscape promotes the development of culture and creates social ties. Pobierowo has certainly gained a cohesive budget thanks to this investment. But will the hotel become such a magnificent investment as planned in the visualizations? Time will tell.
costs, but these others
Finally, it is worth mentioning that tourism contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. The hospitality industry is an important component of the tourism industry and one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Hotels and other forms of accommodation account for 2% of the 5% of global CO₂ emissions generated by tourism. It is estimated that as much as 75% of the negative environmental impact of hotels is related to overconsumption of resources[21].
The main areas of environmental impact include energy consumption, water consumption and waste production. Among the main problems are:
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Energy - Hotels consume more energy per person than the average household due to energy-intensive amenities like bars, restaurants and swimming pools. Average energy consumption is about 130 MJ per person per night, and CO₂ emissions average 20.6 kg per night.
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Waste - Hotels generate significant amounts of waste, averaging more than a kilogram per guest per day, accounting for 25-30% of the hotel and restaurant industry's total waste production.
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Water - Hotels use huge amounts of water to operate swimming pools, gardens and golf courses, which is a challenge in areas with limited water resources.
Additionally noteworthy is the conversion rate of plantings to felled trees, so evident in the case of the site discussed here. It is quite well documented that mature trees significantly outperform younger ones in oxygen production and carbon sequestration. A mature oak tree can produce about 274 liters of oxygen per day - almost half the average human daily oxygen requirement. For smaller trees (usually less than 25 cm in diameter), many regulations recommend a direct one-to-one replacement ratio. This means that for every tree removed, one new tree should be planted. For larger trees, replacement ratios state that a tree with a diameter of 25-38 cm may require the planting of two new trees, that with a diameter of 38-50 cm - three new trees, while larger trees may require up to six. All depending on their condition and species classification[22].
Old-growth forests, that is, consisting of large, old trees, play a key role in maintaining biodiversity. They offer unique habitats and microclimates that support sensitive and often protected species, contributing to the stability and resilience of the ecosystem[23]. The ultimate goal of replacement should not just be the physical planting of a tree, but also the restoration of ecological functions such as canopy cover, habitat provision and carbon sequestration. This can affect the number of trees to be planted[24]. It is estimated that cutting down an old tree and replacing it with a new one does not compensate for the loss, especially in terms of biodiversity. Newly planted trees require large amounts of water to grow, which adds to the environmental challenge, especially in the face of climate change. Young trees usually come from nurseries, are sterile and lack biodiversity. They often grow in pots, and their production is a process that is far from ecological, further undermining their value as full-fledged replacements for old trees.
So is there a chance that Pobierowo is an accident at work, that we will learn from the mistake? I doubt it. In a way, this hotel reminds me of the Palace of Versailles. This one has faced serious water supply problems since its inception. The extensive gardens and numerous fountains required huge amounts of water. To meet these needs, in the 17th century the so-called Machine of Marly was built - a complex system of pumps that pumped water from the Seine to Versailles. The palace was expected to use more water than all of Paris. The palace's excessive water consumption affected the surrounding areas, causing water shortages in neighboring towns. While I don't believe that a new Machine will be built here, I have a feeling that we may have our own little Versailles.
Magdalena Milert
[1] https://obiektykomercyjne.muratorplus.pl/inwestycje/hotel-golebiewski-pobierowo-otwarcie-hotelu-giganta-nad-morzem-wstrzymane-co-wiadomo-booking-cennik-aa-XR84-9LZd-o95i.html
[2] https://rewal.pl/statystyki-gminne-na-poczatek-roku/
[3] https://rewal.pl/tadeusz-golebiewski-podpisal-akt-notarialny/
[4] https://gs24.pl/otwarcie-hotelu-golebiewski-w-pobierowie-nad-morzem-coraz-blizej-kiedy-przyjada-pierwsi-goscie-galeria-zdjec/ar/c1-17757927
[5] https://szczecin.wyborcza.pl/szczecin/7,34939,24946510,najwiekszy-hotel-w-polsce-juz-stoi-jest-tak-duzy-ze-zmiesci.html
[6] https://innpoland.pl/132657,najbardziej-krytykowany-hotelarz-poniosl-kleske-w-lebie-ale-i-tak-zabetonuje-spory-kawalek-polskiego-wybrzeza
[7] https://www.e-hotelarz.pl/artykul/42262/golebiewski-zbuduje-w-pobierowie-najwiekszy-hotel-w-polsce/
[8] https://24kurier.pl/aktualnosci/wiadomosci/golebiewski-w-pobierowie-baza-rakietowa-sprzedana/
[9] https://innpoland.pl/153371,wojt-sprzedal-dzialke-pod-hotel-zostal-jego-dyrektorem-afera-z-hotelem
[10] https://www.portalsamorzadowy.pl/polityka-i-spoleczenstwo/rozpoczal-sie-proces-bylego-wojta-gminy-rewal,121535.html
[11] https://tvn24.pl/pomorze/pobierowo-kontrowersje-wokol-budowy-hotelu-ra951953-2311463
[12] https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114883,24951435,w-gminie-rewal-golebiewski-buduje-najwiekszy-hotel-w-polsce.html
[13] https://rwl24.pl/byly-wojt-rewala-skazany/397/
[14] https://www.money.pl/gospodarka/hotel-golebiewski-w-pobierowie-ma-nowa-dyrektorke-przechodzi-z-konkurencji-6978384733109216a.html
[15] https://www.money.pl/gospodarka/wspominaja-tadeusza-golebiewskiego-wszystko-zawdzieczal-swojej-ciezkiej-pracy-6782605362056096a.html
[16] https://www.bankier.pl/wiadomosc/W-Hotelu-Golebiewskim-w-Pobierowie-legalizuja-samowole-budowlana-Kiedy-otwarcie-8833919.html
[17] https://www.money.pl/gospodarka/budowa-hotelu-i-zejscia-na-plaze-mamy-nowe-informacje-ws-golebiewskiego-7084741242796640a.html
[18] https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114883,24951435,w-gminie-rewal-golebiewski-buduje-najwiekszy-hotel-w-polsce.html
[19] https://www.gov.pl/web/kultura/uchwala-krajobrazowa
[20] https://www.prawo.pl/samorzad/uchwala-krajobrazowa-aktem-prawa-miejscowego,107917.html
[21] https://hmhub.in/hospitality-management/environmental-concerns-relating-to-hotel-industry/?t&utm_source=perplexity
[22] https://www.ncpc.gov/docs/publications/Tree_Preservation_and_Replacement_Resource_Guide_2020.pdf
[23] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-021-01372-y
[24] https://www.smcgov.org/media/102356/download
