Chamber of Commerce Challenges Alicante City Council Over New Headquarters at Panoramis

On Thursday night, the Night of the Alicante Economy became the stage for public hostilities between the Chamber of Commerce and the Alicante City Council over the new headquarters at Panoramis. Its president, Carlos Baño, criticized that the construction "has been inexplicably stalled for an excessive amount of time," causing "economic and reputational damage that will need to be resolved sooner rather than later."

The works are halted while the Urban Planning Department processes a sanctioning file for excess buildability, which may include the demolition of a part. There is still no news of any administrative resolution, and that might be the worst part. The Chamber had hoped to have moved to the Alicante port months ago. This delay, combined with the landlord of the building they currently occupy opposite the Principal Theatre, has led them to reclaim their building of the former Hotel Palas, which was leased by the City Council.

The consequence is that part of the municipal services will be relocated from January 1, 2026, to Centro 14, and the Chamber will return to Cervantes Street. An unforeseen situation that has caused resentment and a simmering conflict in recent months, which has finally erupted publicly during this Night of the Alicante Economy.

Baño has even hinted at the possibility of initiating a legal conflict against the Alicante City Council for the damages caused by the delay. "At all times, the Chamber has acted in this matter with complete transparency, adhering to the current law and following the official and unofficial indications transmitted to us by the City Council and the Port Authority in the dozens of meetings held," Baño explained about the recent months.

He recalled that "this project received initial support from the Botànic government of Ximo Puig back in 2022, with the direct action of then-Compromís minister Rafa Climent, and later from the government of Carlos Mazón." To all of them, even to former president Puig, with whom he had a strong criticism in 2022, "we thank them for their understanding and loyalty."

However, and here comes the attack against the City Council, "it is others, therefore, who have to explain their motivations for hindering a great project that is good for the Chamber and for the province." And that "they will have to explain why instead of solving the problems at an institutional level, they have preferred to air them," in clear reference to local authorities. The mayor, Luis Barcala, did not attend the Night of the Alicante Economy as he was at the Gala Festers. Instead, the councilors of Commerce and Employment, Lidia López and Mari Carmen de España, respectively, attended.

Baño concluded with a serious forecast: "I can assure you that sooner rather than later the Chamber will have the facilities it deserves," he stated before more than 1,100 people gathered at the ADDA. Although he assured that "we will keep our hand extended to solve this and any other matter with institutional loyalty," he also reinforced that "we will never bow to personalistic strategies that seek personal gain at the expense of others' harm, especially if that harm is towards the Alicante Chamber of Commerce."

Baño's vehemence was already known, as was his speech at the Night of the Alicante Economy in 2022, against former president Ximo Puig, but his 2025 speech had a significant effect on the audience. After all, the event is the largest gathering of the economic, civil, and political world of the province of Alicante.

In the same speech, Baño took the opportunity to advocate for Carlos Mazón, a great personal friend. And to ask his most likely successor, the also popular Juanfran Pérez Llorca, to "continue with the path that Mazón's government started and that finally Alicante is treated as it is and what it deserves."

"It is urgent to connect the Community from north to south, to unite this region so that Alicante is as connected and attended to as Valencia or Castellón," Baño demanded. He recalled that "Alicante still does not feel treated as a central province within the Valencian Community," but rather "mistreated." Naturally, the acting president of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, was not present, and it was the vice president, Susana Camarero, who took his place.

The President of the Chamber still gives a vote of confidence to the Consell. Not so to the Government of Spain, which he has denounced for the "neglect" that the province of Alicante has suffered for "decades," with delayed investments, financing, and now also the lack of water with the cut of the Tajo-Segura Transfer.