Never-ending story

BIG to build: Chaos surrounding MCI hopefully over!

LHStv. Georg Dornauer ended the pause for reflection and opted for the sensible BIG variant.

(Bild: Henning Larsen)

In the end, common sense has prevailed after all! We are talking about the new MCI building. On Friday, Georg Dornauer (SPÖ), the responsible state councillor, ended the pause for reflection and announced that the MCI is to be built by BIG (Bundes Immobilien Gesellschaft, now called Austrian Real Estate).

LHStv. Dornauer is thus doing exactly what the "Krone" already demanded almost three weeks ago. BIG has proven several times that it is the ideal partner for a project of this size - with the construction of the Chemistry University in Innsbruck and currently with the Tyrol Security Center.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

"Management by chaos"
After several years of Punch and Judy shows surrounding the new building, hopefully we can now move on from talk to action. As is well known, the capital mistake in the whole affair was made in 2018. Back then, the ripcord was pulled due to an alleged cost explosion. Today we know that it was precisely this ripcord that caused the cost explosion. "Management by chaos" is what Dornauer, who is now in charge, called it.

The six-month pause for reflection was good and right. There is already an official request to the BIG to build the MCI.

LHStv. Georg Dornauer

Bild: Johanna Birbaumer

"The six-month pause for reflection was good and right. An official request has already been made to BIG to build the MCI. The state would then act as a tenant - because our finance officer LH Anton Mattle  cannot accommodate the costs in the state budget," says Dornauer to the "Krone". Including financing, these now amount to around 250 million euros (pure construction costs: 190 million euros).

Increased pressure on the state
The fact that there is now movement in the matter is certainly also thanks to the new Mayor of Innsbruck, Johannes Anzengruber, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Barbara Thaler. They have significantly increased the pressure on the state in recent days and weeks. Incidentally, the MCI Supervisory Board praised the BIG decision.

Chaos cost taxpayers millions
Conclusion: After almost ten years of discussion, we can now hope that the MCI chaos is over once and for all. A chaos that has already cost taxpayers several million euros, even though not a single shovel has touched the ground. Millions spent on consultants. Who got how much for what - that should also be clarified ...