<< Back to Main Valencia Press ReleasesValencia Intent on Overtaking Monaco in the Formula 1 Cachet Stakes
Added: (Mon Jan 22 2007)
With the hugely successful launch of the McLaren Mercedes 2007 season car
the MP4-22 in Valencia last week ; the city has clearly signalled its intention
to not only host a Grand Prix in Valencia but to surpass Monaco's present status
as the epicentre of Formula 1 chic.
Click on the image below for more detail
Valencia has the potential to be not only a bigger version of Monaco but a
much more attractive one. The aim of the Valencian government is to stage the
event around the harbour which will host the 32nd edition of Sailing's America's
Cup later this year and the city's emblematic "City of the Sciences".McLaren
Mercedes launched their new formula 1 car using the "City of the Sciences" as
a truly spectacular backdrop. Have a look at it for yourself :
http://www.cac.es/
Valencia is more than 70 tmes bigger than Monaco, occupying over 13,000 hectares
as opposed to Monaco's 195 hectares.Valencia has a population of over 800,000
compared to Monaco's 30,000.
Accommodationwise, Valencia has more than 7,000 hotel rooms of which 750 are
5 star.Monaco has 2,500 hotel rooms, 1,700 of which are descibed as being luxurious.
Being more southerly, Valencia has a warmer climate than that of Monaco. The
climate in Valencia is a micro climate, similar to that of the Canaries with
over 320 days of sunshine a year and just about 2 weeks of rain.
Conferences are big business both in Valencia and Monaco.Monaco has 5 conference
centres in total.In 2006, Valencia played host to in the region of 700 conferences
in total.
Hotels in Valencia are already at 85% occupancy for this year's America's Cup.
Infrastructure in Valencia is much better than that of Monaco. As part of the
preparations for the America's Cup, the Metro has been connected both to the
airport and the port. Monaco doesn't have an airport, the nearest one being
in Nice at 22 kms. Valencia should have a high speed train link to Madrid in
place by 2010 which will reduce the travel time between the citys to around
an hour and 20 minutes.
Formula 1 has been a mainstay in Monaco since 1950. The Valencian government
has over the recent past used emblematic projects such as the "City of the
Sciences" and the staging of world class events such as the America's Cup as
a means to increase the city's exposure on the world stage and to give the
city its merited place among Spain's top citys(it being the third largest behind
Madrid and Barcelona).
Only time will tell if Valencia can overtake Monaco in the Formula 1 "cachet
stakes". With the completion of the Juan Carlos 1st Marina of Valencia
in preparation for the America's Cup, the marina in Valencia will become the
biggest marina in the Mediterranean overtaking Monaco which is presently the
biggest marina in the Med. The fervent hope amongst the Valencian government
is to similarly surpass Monaco but this time in the world of Formula 1.
All of this is great news for Valencian property owners, especially city property
owners as increasing cachet will undoubtedly mean increasing property values.
