Trinitario Casanova Loses Court Battle Over the Hotel Plaza España

2 December 2019 – Trinitario Casanova, an executive based in Orihuela who is the head of the Murcian Baraka Group, lost another round in his lawsuits against the RIU hotel chain. Casanova has been battling in court since an operation in which he intervened to buy the Edifício España in Madrid from Chinese investor Wanda and, simultaneously, sell it to the Mallorcan firm to turn it into a hotel. The courts had already ruled against the executive in May when RIU was allowed to open the hotel. Now the latest ruling stated that the Baraka Group did not have a repurchase option on the ground-floor commercial premises.

Original Story: Alicante Plaza – David Martínez

Adaptation/Translation: Richard D. K. Turner

Riu Hotels Wins a Small Victory Over Casanova in the Dispute Regarding Edificio España

1 March 2019 – El Español

A small victory (bringing the total to two) for Riu Hotels in the fight for ownership of the commercial space in Edificio España. The judge has dismissed the precautionary measures that the Baraka group, owned by the Murcian businessman Trinitario Casanova, requested to prevent the registration of the property in the name of the hotel group.

The magistrate has rejected the claim on the basis that there is no evidence, “in a clear and unequivocal way, of the relationship that must necessarily exist between what is claimed in the lawsuit and what is recorded in the Property Registry”. Specifically, Baraka requested that the inscription in the registry should include a note establishing the existence of a dispute over the ownership status.

The objective of that measure is to ensure that any possible investor in the commercial space knows that problems may arise in the future regarding the ownership. Nevertheless, the magistrate considers that the group owned by Trinitario Casanova has not proved its ownership of those spaces in the correct way.

Baraka is going to appeal

Specifically, and according to explanations provided by the group, there is a discrepancy between its lawyers and the judge because the lawsuit against the hotel firm was made directly by Baraka’s parent company, rather than by the company that the group used to purchase Edificio España (and which was subsequently transferred to its parent company ahead of the sale to Riu).

This is the second time that the courts have rejected Baraka’s requests, which in the opinion of Riu Hotels is good news. “We are continuing to work to open Hotel Riu Plaza España in the summer of 2019”, said the group in a statement to this newspaper.

The decision by the judge will be appealed by the Baraka group (…) and the Murcian group is convinced that it is in the right.

Original story: El Español (by Arturo Criado)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Riu Closes the Sale of Edificio España’s Commercial Space to Corpfin

1 February 2019 – Preferente.com

The 15,000 m2 of commercial space in Edificio España now has an owner. The party in question is Inbest Real Estate, the investment vehicle owned by Corpfin Capital Real Estate, which has signed a purchase agreement with the hotel chain Riu Hotels & Resorts, the owner of the property.

In a statement addressed to Preferente.com, the hotel chain explained that this agreement will enable the opening of five flagship stores for retail operators, including restaurant and textile firms, which will complement the opening of the new Hotel Riu Plaza España. “In that way, we will provide an even greater boost to the area through a tourist, leisure and commercial offer”, said the chain (…).

“We believe that having Corpfin Capital Real Estate as an ally to launch the retail space in Edificio España is the best way of getting the most out of the property”, said Luis Rui (pictured above, left), CEO of Riu Hotels & Resorts. Meanwhile, Javier Basagoiti (pictured above, right) Managing Partner of Corpfin Capital Real Estate, highlighted that their idea is “to choose the operators that best reflect the philosophy of the building, in coordination with Riu, respecting the hotel activity and configuring the premises towards the creation of flagship stores for first-rate operators” (…).

Original story: Preferente.com 

Translation: Carmel Drake