Old sanatorium to become attractive destination - USD 2.58 million required to build hotel, swimming pools and wellness center in spa resort Rusanda

Spanning almost a century and a half, the tradition of treating patients at Rusanda spa resort with healing mud puts this sanatorium and picnic grounds situated about 17 kilometers away from Zrenjanin among the spa resorts with the greatest natural resource.

- The entire spa complex is located in a spacious pine and linden woods covering a surface area of about 100 hectares by the lake called Rusanda, a relict of the Pannonian Sea and a genuinely great resource of healing mud - Dusko Radisic, assistant for local economic development to the mayor of Zrenjanin, says in a talk with eKapija.

- A team from the Imperial Academy of Science in Vienna had been testing the water and mud from this spa resort for ten years and came to a conclusion that their healing features did not lag behind those of the water and mud in famous spa resorts Francesbad and Marienbad. Mud from Lake Rusanda used to be exported all across Europe – Radisic points out.

In order for this natural resource to become a real tourist attraction, it is necessary to invest in the construction of a hotel with all accompanying commercial amenities foreseen by the Rusanda spa modernization project dubbed "Terra Panonica".

Wellness center and outdoor swimming pool complex

The project includes the reconstruction and equipping of Pavilion V, where spa administration is currently situated. In that way, the spa resort would get ten rooms - 7 single and 2 double rooms and one suite. The value of this investment is USD 350,000.

The plan is to also build a wellness center next to aforementioned pavilion since a modern spa complex cannot be imagined without one such facility.

- A wellness center with a swimming pool would be available to tourist the whole year long, which should significantly increase the number of visitors. The guests of this spa center would thus be able to enjoy thermal and mineral waters in addition to famous healing mud - Radisic stresses and adds that the estimated value of this investment is USD 650,000.

In order to make the tourist offer complete, an outdoor swimming pool complex should be built next to the future wellness center, which is expected to cost about USD 200,000. The location of the swimming pool complex is already determined, and the plan is to build three pools within it - one big, one small, and one of medium size.

The City of Zrenjanin owns a land lot equipped with necessary infrastructure for a hotel in the vicinity of the future complex. Zrenjanin has recently been visited by the representatives of the Russian town of Noginsk who were offered to build a hotel in this location, so it is possible that another hotel will be built here in the future.

City officials expect that the improvement of the tourist offer in Zrenjanin's spa resort will create conditions to hire 100 workers.

- Given the current state, we've assessed that the investment will pay off in 12 years. We should also keep in mind the multiplicative effect of this project on the economy in the region – says Radisic.

Partner wanted

The total value of this project is USD 2,580,000, and one of the ways to raise necessary funds for this attractive complex is to form a public-private partnership (PPP).

- Public partner is to contribute USD 1.3 million for land, facility and equipment, while private partner should provide USD 1.2 million for infrastructure and documentation as well as USD 80,000 for working capital - Radisic points out.

The project Terra Panonica – Rusanda Spa Modernization is selected as one of the eight best entries at the competition "Public Private Partnership As Development Potential" that is being implemented by the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) with the support of the USAID Sustainable Local Development project.

I.M.