IICE celebrates Jerez groundbreaking ceremony

09-6-25 

“An historic day for Jerez,” is how the city’s mayor defined the groundbreaking ceremony for the Inter IKEA Centre España project, which took place on June 25, 2008 at the construction site. Some 200 people, including representatives from IKEA Ibérica, the town hall, regional and provincial governments, trade unions, local business associations, retailers and collaborators in the project joined IICE to celebrate this festive occasion. Numerous TV and radio stations, as well as newspapers and magazines, were there to cover the event, which provided excellent media coverage the following day.

Following speeches by Michael Hansen (IICE managing director), Sonia Corvera (Jerez project manager), Sylvain Laval (IKEA Ibérica real estate manager) and Pilar Sánchez (mayor of Jerez), everyone joined in for the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. Michael and the mayor tossed the first shovels full of dirt to cover the “time capsule”, and were soon joined by many others who wanted to be part of this important moment.

The “time capsule” is buried on site and contains the day’s newspapers, Swedish and Danish crowns and Spanish euros, a smiling shopping bag, an IKEA catalogue, a copy of the mayor’s speech and other momentos.

Afterward, food and drinks were served to the guests and following Michael, Sonia, Sylvain and the mayor’s example, everyone raised a glass of Jerez sherry to toast the beginning of “the most important retail project in Andalucía”.