Hehenberger on the Court of Auditors’ criticism: “I’ve always played with open cards”

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“If the project becomes a political issue and the parties talk it down, I’ll withdraw on the spot.” Dietmar Hehenberger made that clear to Freistadt’s city politicians when he announced to the municipal council in March 2021 that he was willing to invest in a hotel project at the Freistadt exhibition center.

This is exactly what happened to the experienced hotelier last week – after the State Court of Audit examined the sale of the property for the hotel and came to the conclusion that the municipality had asked about 220,000 euros too little. At least between the lines of some reactions there was talk of backroom agreements, Hehenberger annoyed. He firmly rejects this suspicion: “I said from the start that I would pay 80 euros per square meter for the property and not a single euro more.” Most of the interested parties who had come before him would have even asked to be given the building site free of charge. “It was a fair offer, which I still stand by,” says Hehenberger in an OÖN interview.

Price was a fixed condition

All fractions of the municipal council were aware of these 80 euros, says Hehenberger: “And they all agreed at the beginning. Also on my other conditions: that I need the entire property for this and not just that of the old auction hall and that in return I that I will not demolish this hall, but have it repaired, that I would like to have economic development in the amount of the demolition costs that have already been budgeted for.” Only when the project for a second underground car park floor had to be abandoned because it was not funded by the state and was therefore no longer economical for him, did the WIFF citizens’ list turn against the project and have opposed him ever since.

more on the subject

Muehlviertel

Court of Auditors: Municipality has sold the property for a hotel in Freistadt too cheaply

The property is said to have been sold for 223,000 euros below market value. There is also criticism of the report. Municipality wants complete clarification.

Court of Auditors: Municipality has sold the property for a hotel in Freistadt too cheaply

Nothing to do with reviews

Above all, Hehenberger emphasizes that he has nothing to do with the reports on the property price, which have now caught the crossfire of criticism. “That was up to the municipality. I named my price – how the municipality dealt with it was up to them.” Especially since Hehenberger is still convinced that the 80 euros are not a dumping price: “It is a commercial property, not a building site. In addition, only 2000 m² of the 9100 m² are built up. The rest is designed as a green area.” According to Hehenberger’s assessment, it was not he who bought the land too cheaply, but rather the community that acquired it in 2009 at far too high a price.

It also becomes clear in view of the costs for the contaminated soil, which was removed from the construction site and has now been reused as a fill under a composting facility. The degree of pollution of the soil – probably due to the demolition of old stables years ago and subsequent use as an unpaved parking lot – was surveyed by a special company. Initially, there were higher values, since digging was carried out directly at the former parking lot, later samples from the rear area of ​​the property would have shown lower values.

The image damage caused by the report by the Court of Auditors cannot be explained away, says Hehenberger. Nevertheless, the focus is already on the future: the opening planned in two months.

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Author

Bernhard Leitner

Local editor Mühlviertel

Bernhard Leitner

Author

Thomas Fellhofer

Local editor Mühlviertel

Thomas Fellhofer

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