Amsterdam wants to ‘reconquer’ the Red Light District

December 17, 2007 - Amsterdam

The city of Amsterdam has announced they will start a huge clean-up of the old city centre, mainly the Red Light District. In the words of spokesman Lodewijk Asscher: 'We are going to reconquer the heart of the city, and give it back to the Amsterdammers'.

According to the city many companies in this area are part of mafia-like structures, and also serve to launder money made from criminal activities. But the city wants to promote high quality entertainment, restaurants, cafes and hotels, together with housing and space for 'creative businesses'.

One result of this is that the city will close down, again, a big part of the 'sex windows'. The area around the Old Church will become completely 'window-free'. Also the smaller prostitution zones at the Singel canal and the Spuistraat will have to go.

In addition, the city is also going to rearrange the 'red carpet of Amsterdam'. The 'red carpet' is the street which leads from Central Station to the Rembrandtplein. This street is at the moment mainly dominated by 'low quality' businesses, such as cheap hotels, tourist shops etc. This street is called the 'red carpet' because it's the main street which leads into Amsterdam when you visit Amsterdam by train (what most visitors do).

The project is named 'Coalition project 1012', after the postal code of the area (1012). The whole project will cost hundreds of millions of Euros and will take at least 10 years. Various large shops and hotels have announced to cooperate in the project.