Center Parcs on Pütnitz: Dispute over tourism project escalates!

Center Parcs on Pütnitz: Dispute over tourism project escalates!

Clear tensions are emerging in the region around the Pütnitz peninsula, which was previously used for military purposes and is now in focus due to the planned Center Parcs holiday resort. The ambitious project, which envisages the creation of 3,200 beds in 620 holiday homes and apartments, remains a hot topic of discussion. The mood among the locals is divided. While some see the resort as a needed economic boost, others fear the surrounding area could suffer from mass tourism. NDR reports that Concerns are raised particularly about tax waste, environmental destruction and the competitive situation for local restaurants.

On June 30, 2025, the platform openPetition informed that a petition raising concerns about the project would be considered not submitted as there had been no news for over a year. However, this initiative is only part of a broader movement opposing the plans to locate Center Parcs. The activists The citizens' initiative “No mass tourism on Pütnitz” collected 1,875 signatures within six weeks and handed them over to the city administration. Your goal is to prevent the financial burden that the project could bring.

Pros and Cons – The region’s perspectives

While Mayor Thomas Huth (The Independents) sees the project as a necessary economic engine for the region, the citizens' initiative is skeptical. Steffen Schmidt, the founder of the initiative, is calling for the project to be stopped and has even filed a lawsuit with the Greifswald Administrative Court. This has already stopped parts of the demolition work to ensure the protection of bats. Although the excavator is on site, it remains unaccomplished for the time being, as Huth emphasizes.

The planned investment costs of around 350 million euros, of which 220 million euros are to be raised by Center Parcs and 45 million euros through state funding, raise serious questions. Why should these considerable sums, which in individual cases also have to be borne by citizens, flow into such a project? This question concerns many people. Concerns about the impact on the region's low-impact tourism are also not unfounded. NDR provides information about this that Andrea Kuhn from the German Hotel and Restaurant Association is concerned that locals could suffer from these economic changes.

Citizens' initiative and future prospects

The discussions about the Center Parcs project are not just an issue for the community's older people. Younger participants in the discussion are demanding more perspectives and want to bring about a referendum. Online, opinions about the project are mixed - while some see the benefits of construction, others warn of the negative consequences that could occur. It is clear that a good hand is needed here to find the balance between economy and environment.

Citizens' requests, petitions and numerous discussions indicate that the issue is far from over. Investors such as Center Parcs and Pangea have refused to contribute to the project-related costs. The district administrator of Vorpommern-Rügen and the city council of Ribnitz-Damgarten still support the project, fearing that it could fail if the costs fall on them, as can be read in media reports.

The future of the Pütnitz peninsula remains uncertain, but the determination of the citizens' initiative shows that they are ready to fight for their own interests. There is a fine line between progress and preservation – there is something important for the region!