Final spurt
Buga 23 gives Mannheim new self-confidence
Roses bloom on the grounds of the Federal Garden Show in Mannheim. photo
© Uwe Anspach/dpa
So far, Mannheim has only exuded a certain industrial charm. But the Federal Garden Show cast the metropolis on the Rhine and Neckar in a new light – perhaps even permanently.
The countdown to the end of the Federal Garden Show (Buga) 2023 in Mannheim on October 8th is underway. The major event polished the city’s image, boosted tourism and gave residents a new park. “It has changed the city forever,” says Mannheim’s new mayor Christian Specht.
At “Spinelli”, once a barracks and depot for the US Army, a huge play and exercise area as well as new natural areas for many wild animals have been created. As part of Buga 23, part of the so-called northeast green belt was realized, which connects more than 200 hectares of green spaces right into Mannheim city.
Shortly before the closure, Buga 23 managing director Michael Schnellbach promotes a visit to the autumnally planted park. “There will certainly no longer be a Federal Garden Show in Mannheim any time soon.” That’s why the tickets are available online at a special price of 23 euros for adults.
However, the discount could be due to the fact that the targeted number of visits of 2.1 million had not yet been reached a few days ago. It was 1.85 million. But Buga spokeswoman Corinna Brod explained: “We are confident that we will reach 2 million next week.”
Buga is taking a forced break after Mannheim
The costs for the show, around 60 million euros, are to be recouped through, among other things, entrance fees, donations and a city subsidy. Mayor Specht: “As things stand today, the financial planning will also work.” That wouldn’t be a given. Because the Buga, which is organized by municipalities every two years, is taking a forced break after Mannheim. The city of Rostock, planned for 2025, feared financial problems and canceled.
In Mannheim, however, people rave about the Buga effect. This catapulted the municipality, known as an inconspicuous industrial location, onto the tourist map. The travel guide “Marco Polo” named Mannheim and Buga a top travel destination for 2023. The city of squares also took tenth place in the city ranking of the travel website “European Best Destinations”. Recommendations that worked.
City marketing recorded 2,650 group tours on the Buga and 880 city tours – significantly more than in 2022 as a whole. The number of overnight stays was 1.045 million by July, 41 percent above the previous year’s value.