Amsterdam to make Erotic Center location known in December

Several setbacks have led the coalition governing the City of Amsterdam to delay its announcement of the final location for the proposed Erotic Center. The mayor and aldermen are set to make their preference between three sites known around mid-December, according to Parool.

Mayor Femke Halsema said the announcement will not be made for at least six weeks because the city has had to spend additional time responding to issues related to the recent war between Israel and Hamas. Additionally, the death of Halsema’s father two weeks ago extended the delay.

The proposal calls for the construction of a mixed use facility including hospitality businesses, entertainment space, and about 100 spaces for sex workers. The facility is also supposed to include space for social services, healthcare, and security, while creating a more professional environment for sex workers by including break rooms and safer access to workspaces. The highly controversial project would likely lead to the closure of dozens of window prostitution positions in the city’s main Red Light District in De Wallen neighborhood.

The shortlist of locations includes Docklandsplot at the NDSM-Werf on Amsterdam-Noord, and two positions near the RAI convention center in Amsterdam-Zuid. The first is between on De Groene Zoom between the RAI and the A10. The other is along the Europaboulevard.

Once the location is announced by the coalition at the head of city government, the full City Council will be able to debate the proposal. That will not likely happen until January 2024. The last council meeting of the year is set for December 20-21, with the next meeting of the entire council to take place from January 24-25.

“After the administrative decision-making about the final location, a participation process will take place with all those involved around the chosen location regarding the integration of the Erotic Center at the chosen location,” the city states on its website. “Once a final location has been chosen, we can also start the planning-legal procedures, and prepare the selection of the market party that will develop the Erotic Center.”

Halsema had initially hoped to share the chosen location by the end of October. Prior delays were also linked to the organization of consultations regarding the Erotic Center.

It is still not clear whether Halsema and the city’s aldermen have a majority for the construction of the Erotic Center. It is not supported by the opposition parties in the municipal government, and it is not yet known how council members from coalition parties PvdA, GroenLinks and D66 will vote on the issue.

The proposal is meant to improve the position of sex workers, while also reducing issues related to over-tourism in the old city center. Still, It has been heavily criticized by sex workers, particularly those working in the Red Light District, and also many local residents in De Wallen. The Erotic Center is also widely opposed by local groups, organizations and employers in Amsterdam-Noord and Zuid.