Lanzarote MP Marcos Bergaz has urged the Canary Islands Government to provide clarity on the stalled Congress Palace project, nearly 20 years after its inception. During a parliamentary session with Tourism Minister Jéssica de León, Bergaz highlighted the ongoing delays, pointing out that the project, first announced in an international competition in 2009, has yet to be realised.
“The Congress Palace is still nowhere in sight,” Bergaz remarked, noting that several budget allocations have been made over the years but have not been implemented. He emphasised that the project remains pending due to the need for final approval of the General Supplementary Plan for Arrecife, as well as other necessary legal processes.
The MP outlined the significance of the Congress Palace for Arrecife and how it could enhance cultural offerings and attract high-value congress tourism, which he noted generates an average daily spend of €388 per visitor, significantly higher than the €178 spent by leisure tourists in the Canary Islands.
In 2024, the Lanzarote Cabildo announced that it would process the Congress Palace as a Project of Insular Interest, a move intended to expedite the project’s development. However, Bergaz stated that two years on, bureaucratic hurdles, particularly related to urban planning, continue to hinder progress.
Minister de León reiterated the government’s commitment to the project, acknowledging the challenges posed by a coastal boundary clarification affecting part of the site. Bergaz called for tangible progress from the involved administrations, insisting that Lanzarote cannot afford further delays. “After almost two decades, the Congress Palace must stop being an ‘eternal’ project and become a reality,” he declared.
