Located in a prime location in Ninh Phong Ward in the province’s Ninh Binh town, the project was approved by the provincial authorities in 2009 with Quang Trung Mechanical Engineering Company, now Quang Trung Industrial Group, as the developer.
Initially covering 65,000 square meters with an investment capital of over VND544 billion (US$21.4 million), the project's scale was adjusted multiple times, now encompassing 80,000 square meters with a revised investment of nearly VND3.84 trillion (US$150.8 million).
After a period of construction, the project has been left abandoned, resulting in a waste of valuable land.
At the center of the project is a concrete frame with six floors that was supposed to be a 19-story five-star hotel. Steel columns on the upper levels have rusted due to prolonged exposure to the elements.
According to the approved design, the project is set to include 28 massive components, including the 19-story hotel, resort villas, a shopping center, resort apartments, restaurants, an artificial mountain, and an outdoor stage.
When it was first approved, this project was considered the first high-end, modern hotel and resort development in Ninh Binh. The goal of the project was to develop and expand the local restaurant and hotel services system to attract tourists, especially international ones.
It was designed to accommodate 1.2 million guests annually and provide 14,500 square meters of rental space. Its services, such as massage, karaoke, and entertainment, were expected to welcome 300,000 visitors per year while its restaurants would serve 1.5 million meals.
The three octagonal buildings in this picture are also incomplete, with only one having its frame finished and its roof covered with blue-tinted glass panels.
According to the plan submitted to Ninh Binh’s Department of Planning and Investment, the project was divided into two phases.
The first phase (2009-2023) aimed to complete the villa resort, shopping center, event venues, rental offices, and floating restaurants, while the remaining components were to be finished in the second phase (2023-2025). However, none of these components have been completed to date.
The most developed section includes 18 three-story duplex villas. The basic structure of these units has been completed, with red-tile roofs and glass windows installed. Some units have also been partially painted.
The project is overgrown with weeds. The compactor and excavator in front of the octagonal buildings have not been used for years. Many other construction vehicles, now rusted and heavily damaged, have also been left scattered around the site by the contractor.
The concrete mixing station at the eastern corner of the project is also abandoned and overgrown with weeds. No workers are present, and the developer has only hired a few security guards to watch over the site.
Businesses whose projects have been granted permits must commit to completing them on schedule. If the project is delayed without an extension granted by the relevant authorities, it must be reclaimed.
A representative from the provincial planning and investment department stated that the company faced financial difficulties and suspended the project for several years.
"In 2025, if the developer fails to complete the project, the province will consider revoking the permit and reclaiming the project in accordance with the law," an official at the department said.
The abandoned Tam Coc - Bich Dong five-star hotel complex. Video by VnExpress/Le Hoang
