European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                June stars and stripes Page 25 valencias hour of glory arrival of americas cup coincides with tourism Boom by Paul Logothetis the associated press forget Bilbao or now its valencias turn to bask in the International Lime Spain third largest City has found its Way to Many travellers must see list since americas cup Winner the sailing team from landlocked Switzer picked it to Host the 32nd americas but the americas cup is Only one part of an aggressive Urban transformation plan for Valencia that began 19 years to be Here Over the last 20 years has been very humbling if s a big Success because the City has totally said Jose director of Valencia tourism since Valencia has taken a big leap Forward it is now a More open and cosmopolitan City than it was before and the people locals and visitors Are embracing tourists have just As they did with Barcelona follow ing the 1992 olympic games and Bilbao after the opening of the Frank Gehr designed Guggen Heim museum in the latest statistics show Valencia has experienced the big Gest recent jump in tourism of any european the Mil lion tourists who visited in 2006 were nearly five times the num Ber who came in better travel including the Rise of Low Cost the Advent of the inter mushrooming Confer ence Halls and museum and Art galleries Are Why valencias tourism numbers Are expected to exceed the 2 million visitor Mark in among Spanish Only Madrid and Barcelona get More tourists coming to Valencia this year will include a million people expected for the Ameri Cas which begins june but to the Palace of the arts is what put the City on the designed by the superstar architect Santiago who happens to be a native the Palace is part of a Complex of museums and other attractions called the City of arts and the futuristic White buildings most of them designed by calatrava include a an aquarium and the arts which is an opera House that looks a utile like a floating Gladiator like Valencia has a calatrava designed a renowned conference Center by British architect Norman and a City mayor willing to spend Money to transform the valencias City of arts and sciences is set within the Turia a drained River renovated into a Park in the Cala a photos of arts and sciences with the Palace of arts in the tourists visiting Valencia this year will beginning june but to the Palace of the arts is what put the City on the Bayou Biscay France t Madrid Valencia Balearic St Atlantic Ocean f Spain Rota Morocco 100miles Algeria a the italian Challenge is among the yachts that will compete in the americas it enters the port in Travas next work will be there silk seen such a Renais a 230foottall Public Square to be completed in agora will be dwarfed Only by the neigh Boring three skyscrapers ranging from 720 to 987 with the latter 81story building to be the tallest in mayor Rita Barbera has Over seen the renovation of 64 historic Sites in the City at a Cost of million during her 16year ten not since the 15th Century has this mercantile still known for its Enesco protected Barbera and Salinas were responsible for the americas cup bid in which sped up the planned renovation of the port americas cup is a Public Harbor facility with team restau concerts and giant screens broadcasting the with the americas cup return ing to Europe for the first time in 156 the growing interest in the event coincides with a Friend Lier organizers have shortened the races and put fans closer to the sailing than thanks to valencias deep Shore the race is also gradually shedding its reputation As an elitist event for the yachting crowd in places like where it was held for 50odd it was a win win thanks to the americas cup we have been Able to Advance the work behind certain inf Astruc Salinas the expo sure from this event an inter National event that will hit All across the world has accelerated the process and provided the City with a platform to improve its tourist giving Valencia a certain presence As a unique Consorcio a partnership Between the mayors the regional and National govern ments and private has spent million on infrastructure surrounding the which includes port americas the docklands and some of the cites oldest and if s Only a fragment of the billion spent since work began in architectural firms get and Jean Nouvel will reshape the immediate area surrounding port americas cup once the event is with the Turia gardens extended to the Clearing out old Industrial parts of la Huerta crop growing hamlets and a Section of the Grau neighbourhood to make Way for High Rise apartment blocks and Green lying 500 Yards from the port is a once proud fishing Village that is the oldest neighbor Hood after the historic City Cen a working class collection of Marina Homes showing signs of with Many of the mosaic covered buildings overtaken by squatting if the six Lane Avenue Blasco Ibanez is extended to the Beach As it will run directly through taking out 10 City blocks with see Page 26