Amsterdam chooses Europaboulevard for controversial Erotic Center location

The political leaders in Amsterdam have chosen Europaboulevard in Amsterdam-Zuid to be the new home of the Erotic Center, a proposed high-rise to serve as a new location for sex workers. Mayor Femke Halsema and the aldermen in charge of policy selected the location over the objections from people and organizations based in the area, including residents, families, education leadership, foreign missions, and the European Medicines Agency.

In the coming months, the full City Council will debate the proposed location, which is also near the RAI Convention Center. It has been uncertain whether the mayor and aldermen have the votes to support the development, but if it’s approved, the project will move into a design phase in 2024, before it opens in 2031.

Many sex workers have also strongly objected to the proposal, which will force many of them to move out of the Red Light District in the city center to the new facility. The high-rise will have approximately 100 units for sex workers to conduct business, and will lead to the closure of 100 windows in the capital’s main Red Light District. There are currently 249 window prostitution spaces in the Red Light District, meaning 40 percent would close or be relocated to the Erotic Center.

The mayor acknowledged that any location would lead to “questions about displacement” from the sex workers, and “concerns about quality of life” from local residents. “Research shows that the Europaboulevard location is the most promising of all options, and has the fewest disadvantages. The location is in a strong, socially-resilient neighborhood compared to the other areas examined by the city,” the mayor’s office wrote in a statement.

The location is just outside of the ring road, essentially at the intersection of Europaboulevard, De Boelelaan and an offramp for the A10 ring. The area is in close proximity to the Amsterdam RAI train and metro station, tram line 4, and bus line 62.

“There can be good connections with existing events and visitor flows. The location is not in a residential area; the nearest homes are across a wide road that provides access to the A10 ring road,” the city claimed. However, it is steps away from the popular Amstelpark, a popular space for many city residents and families.

Beleaguered Erotic Center plan repeatedly delayed amid ongoing public opposition

Back in June, a survey of Amsterdam residents found that only about 20 percent were in favor of the Erotic Center proposal. Roughly 35 percent oppose the plan, and another 18 percent strongly oppose the proposal. Another 27 percent are neutral or undecided, Parool reported at the time.

The shortlist for the site included the Docklandsplot at the NDSM-Werf in Amsterdam-Noord, and another location near the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam-Zuid, on De Groene Zoom between the RAI and the A10 near the 24-story Nhow Hotel. The proposed Erotic Center is meant to improve the position of sex workers while also reducing issues related to over-tourism in the De Wallen neighborhood where the Red Light District is located. The portion of the old city center has had to contend with congestion, nuisance, and criminal activities.

The controversial plan has led to many protests over the past few months. Sex workers, particularly those working in the Red Light District, and even many local residents in De Wallen, have criticized the plan. The plan has also raised concerns from Noord and Zuid residents, as well as their district governments. Both districts said they do not want the hundreds of thousands of people the Erotic Center could bring, with some estimates pegging the total at 1.5 million visitors per year.

In Zuid, district leaders think this will just shift the nuisance from the center to neighborhoods filled with families, workers, students, diplomatic missions, and the European Medicines Agency. Additionally, it could lead to even worse traffic on the A10, traffic jams in residential areas, parking issues, and more difficulty completing large construction projects, like the Zuidasdok.

A broad alliance of 40 businesses, educational and cultural institutions, residents' associations, and interest groups was formed in recent months to protest against the proposed Erotic Center. In September, they submitted a petition against the proposal to the mayor with over 22,000 signatures. In October, hundreds of local residents, business owners, and sex workers from the Amsterdam Red Light District demonstrated against relocating the window brothels.

First City Council meeting this week

The full City Council is scheduled to first discuss the location of the Erotic Center during the question time portion of the Council meeting on Wednesday. The mayor reportedly wants a full debate in January.

The current coalition government in Amsterdam is comprised of Labour, with nine members on the Council, GroenLinks with eight more, and D66 with seven. Together, they make a simple majority out of the 45 members.

Thus far, Labour and D66 have not been clear about whether their parties’ council members will support the plan, even though a proposal for an Erotic Center is part of their coalition agreement.