I was reading in the Bali Post that the construction of a nightclub has started on the site of the former Sari nightclub that was destroyed in the Bali bombings in 2002.
An Australian group had been planning to buy the land and build a Peace Park on the site. The Australian government was even planning on giving them the money to purchase the land. A total of 202 people died in the bombings, including 88 Australians.
A memorial was build on the site of the former Paddy’s Pub, listing the names of the people who died in the blast.
The land owner, a Jakarta resident, leased the land to person who already runs several nightclubs and restaurants in the area. I suppose it is about money, but the Australian government was ready to spend a couple of million dollars on the land. Perhaps the financial crisis changed their plans.
Other than the beach, there aren’t any public parks in the area, so it would have been a nice shady, place to relax and many people would argue another nightclub in the area is the last thing Kuta needs. A nightclub would provide a few more jobs for the locals, but it’s not like it will have a huge economic impact.
