Bucharest football club owner may buy famous hotel at the seaside

Romanian businessman Gigi Becali, the owner of the FCSB football club (the former Steaua Bucharest), has reached final negotiations for buying the famous Rex hotel in the seaside resort of Mamaia, local Profit.ro reported. The hotel is currently owned by Carmen Palade, the ex-wife of Dan Adamescu, a Romanian billionaire who died in jail in January 2017. Adamescu paid EUR 10 million in 2006 to buy the hotel from local investor Viorel Paunescu. At that time, Rex was one of the top five-star hotels at the seaside. However, the hotel was closed in 2011 after a fire and hasn’t reopened since. The hotel has 102 guest rooms. It first opened in 1938 and King Carol II started the project himself. It is located close to the Iaki Hotel, owned by famous Romanian footballer Gheorghe Hagi, the owner of FC Viitorul football club. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Gigi Becali Oficial on Facebook)