Controversy over choice of location
Amsterdam’s prostitutes should move to the outskirts of the city
December 18, 2023, 7:56 p.m
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Visitors have been overrunning the old town of Amsterdam for years. The red light district there is a real tourist magnet. The city is therefore planning: The prostitutes should move into a high-rise building on the outskirts of the city. Residents and the EU medicines authority EMA, which is based there, are already protesting.
Women have been offering sex in windows in Amsterdam for centuries – now the famous red light district is to move from the old town to an erotic center on the outskirts. To this end, the city government announced a location selection, which is unlikely to end the controversial discussion about the plans.
The high-rise building with jobs for around 100 prostitutes as well as restaurants, sex theaters and clubs is to be built in a district on the southern edge of the city. Residents and the EU medicines authority EMA, which is based there, have already protested. “Finding a location for an erotic center is a difficult task,” said the city administration. Discussions with possible investors and operators of the center helped determine the location selection.
“Due to the enormous growth in tourism, the old town, especially the red light district, has been under pressure for years.” The erotic center is one of the measures to make the city center more livable again. In return for the 100 places planned for sex workers in the center, a similar number of jobs in the red light district should be eliminated. Not much of the revealing flair of the red-lit windows in “De Wallen”, as the old town district is called, will remain in the sex high-rise. “The windows of the erotic center will only be located inside the building,” the city government announced.
All visitors come through a secure entrance and must adhere to the house rules. “In this way we want to combat sightseeing tourism and keep disruptive groups away.” The city council is expected to discuss the choice of location at the beginning of next year. The city said it could take around seven years until the erotic center opens.