Two investors are vying to transform the abandoned museum in Torremolinos into a university campus

Their proposals are now with the urban planning department, which will evaluate them and decide on the winning bid - provided the tender is not declared void should neither contractor meet the established criteria

The administrative framework for this system of making the public property available for private use is as follows: the local government approved the tender for the public concession of this property to enable its use for new educational purposes, which, in turn, also had to be authorised by a plenary resolution.

The concession will last for 20 years and may be extended for a further maximum of 10 years. The minimum fee – the ‘rent’ to be paid into the local authority’s coffers – amounts to 90,822.36 euros per year, a figure which may be increased. Multiplied by 30 – the envisaged maximum term for the concession – the resulting sum from this transaction would amount to around 2.7 million, although the figure may be higher.

Under this arrangement, the building remains in municipal ownership and is classified as public property. The works required to convert it for academic use, in accordance with the requirements set out in the tender documents, shall be the responsibility of the concessionaire, as shall the provision of equipment, its upkeep, maintenance and subsequent commissioning.

The private sector must also obtain the necessary educational, planning and sector-specific authorisations; indeed, any progress will be contingent upon the project developer securing approval to join the Andalusian university system and being able to carry out teaching activities legally.

The plan to find a purpose for this building, which has never been used, originates from a proposal submitted by the Escola Universitària de la Salut i l'Esport (Euses) Málaga - part of the Metrodora education group - in which the University of Malaga has already shown an interest.

Euses’ bid is one of those to be considered by the tender committee. As this is an open tender in which other companies were able to participate, with no reservation or preferential right in favour of the original developer, Euses does indeed have a competitor. That competitor is Cuim Siglo XXI.

The criteria award up to 40 points for the highest number of university degrees on offer and a further 40 points for the highest fee offered above the set minimum.

The remaining 20 points will be awarded for the annual financial contribution allocated to scholarships for students from Torremolinos, and the tender must include a grant scheme with a minimum annual budget of 30,000 euros, a figure which may be increased.