Amsterdam's Red Light District Shifts to Suburban Erotic Center
For years, Amsterdam's historic town center has been inundated by tourists, with the iconic Red Light District serving as a magnetic draw. In response, the city is considering a controversial relocation plan: moving the Red Light District's sex workers to a high-rise erotic center situated on the city's outskirts. The proposal, however, has stirred controversy, with both local residents and the European Medicines Agency voicing concerns.
Centuries of window-based prostitution in Amsterdam's Red Light District has led to its notoriety. Now, the district is set to leave the city's older quarters in favor of a modern erotic center on the outskirts. The city administration revealed the chosen location, despite the outcry it has sparked.
"The search for a suitable location for an erotic center is challenging," acknowledged the city administration. Negotiations with potential investors and operators aided in selecting the district's south-eastern edge as the location for this high-rise building offering workspaces for around 100 prostitutes, alongside restaurants, sex theaters, and nightclubs.
Residents and the EU Medicines Agency, located nearby, have voiced their concerns regarding the proposed plan. They are worried that the move will attract even more sex tourists to the area. "The old city centre, particularly the Red Light District, has been under constant pressure due to the surge in tourism for years," the city administration explained.
Relocating the sex workers' workspaces to the erotic center is part of a larger initiative to make the city centre more pleasant and livable. In exchange for granting 100 workspaces in the erotic center, a similar number of positions in the Red Light District will be eliminated. The distinctive appeal of the Red Light District, complete with its scantily clad windows, will become increasingly scarce in the high-rise sex establishment.
Visitors will enter the erotic center through a secure entrance and will be expected to adhere to specified regulations, aiming to suppress sightseeing tourism and deter disruptions. The city administration anticipates discussing the proposal with the city council at the beginning of the following year. The erotic center is projected to open approximately seven years thereafter.
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Numerous sources report that the current relocation plan includes input from Amsterdam's mayor, Femke Halsema. She has proposed shifting the Red Light District to a purpose-built adult theme park on the city's outskirts, which has come under criticism from sex workers. The opposition has centered on their concerns about the potential disruption to their businesses and their livelihoods[1][3].
