Court Clears Córdoba Lottery Hotel Project to Resume Works
After nearly three weeks of legal limbo, Argentina’s judiciary has ruled on whether construction may restart on the Córdoba Lottery Hotel project located on the banks of the Cruz del Eje reservoir. The ruling follows prior authorization but comes after the project was temporarily halted due to a collective injunction.
Construction was suspended on December 29 as a precautionary measure while the courts reviewed an injunction request. The petition was filed by the Comechingona Sanavirón Tulián Territorial Indigenous Community together with nearby residents, who sought both an immediate halt to the works and the cancellation of the project’s environmental permit.
Province Challenges Suspension Order
In response to the suspension, the Government of Córdoba lodged an appeal and requested that the ruling be temporarily lifted while the appeal was examined. That request was rejected by the Civil, Commercial, Labor and Family Court of Appeals in Cruz del Eje, prompting the province to escalate the matter to the Superior Court of Justice.
Before the higher court, provincial authorities argued that stopping construction was already causing economic harm and creating structural risks. They highlighted that unfinished works, including exposed trenches, posed potential dangers if left unattended for a prolonged period.
Superior Court Allows Works to Resume
The Superior Court ultimately ruled in favor of resuming construction. In its decision, the court underlined that the project holds a valid environmental license, which carries a presumption of legality under administrative law. At this stage, the judges found insufficient evidence to justify maintaining a complete suspension of the works.
While the injunction relied on the “precautionary principle” outlined in Argentina’s General Environmental Law No. 25,675 intended to prevent serious or irreversible environmental harm the court concluded that no concrete environmental risk had been proven at this point in the process.
Public Safety and Economic Impact Considered
The ruling also took into account public safety concerns linked to leaving the construction site inactive. The court noted that open excavations and partially completed structures could present real hazards, reinforcing the decision to allow work to continue under supervision.
The court emphasized that this authorization does not dismiss environmental concerns outright. Instead, it permits construction to proceed while legal and environmental discussions continue. With this decision, the Córdoba Lottery Hotel project is cleared to move forward, marking a significant development in the ongoing debate balancing environmental protection with infrastructure and economic interests.
