Slap in the face on the net – Shitstorm for Lech because of the new community center

The municipality of Lech am Arlberg recently had to experience first-hand what a shit storm is. Lech Zürs Tourismus posted photos of the new community center on Facebook. Responses were numerous, if not particularly diverse, as nearly every comment under the post was negative. “Sorry!” was one of the innocent posts, other users were quite direct in expressing their displeasure. One thing was clear: there was simply no understanding for the two huge buildings in the village. Does the community need an explanation now?

Rest is the order of the day on the Arlberg
Hermann Fercher, head of Lech Zürs Tourismus, does not want to see the reactions as a slap in the face for the new cityscape. According to Fercher, only those who don’t like something would contact social media anyway. Those who liked something would “don’t show” it on Facebook. From this point of view, it’s amazing that Facebook grew up with the thumbs-up sign, the “Like”.

In any case, Fercher is looking at the case from a “purely business perspective”. And so he has to make sure that the hall that is being built in one of the two blocks is also used. That’s why he has to communicate it. The fact that the users, many of whom, according to their own statements, are regular Lech holidaymakers, do not want to get used to the new construction, can of course be regarded as ‘collateral damage’. It is important to Fercher that the community center encourages the low season. Many companies and potential customers would be very positive about the community center. Apparently not in public.

“Others just lack the backbone”
But Fercher should not let the criticism be so cold, because he angrily asks “why is this project being hacked when something like this is constantly being set up in the Bregenzerwald. It is not unusual to build something like this in Lech, it is always done elsewhere.” .” He is also an advocate of the project, others would simply be missing the backbone. The representatives of the Lech community, who are against the community center, are only concerned with small political changes, he says when asked by “Krone”.

Not surprisingly, those addressed in this way see things differently: “The current shitstorm on social networks confirms that a significant reduction in buildings would have been better for our village and tourism,” says the list “Our Village”. “The new mayor and his factions ‘Liste Lech’ and ‘Uf Weg’ must take responsibility for the damage to our image that has now been done and that we will continue to deal with. For us, the topic of the community center is over”, says Stefan Muxel, who narrowly lost to Gerhard Lucian in the mayoral elections.As a reminder, the “Our Village” list started to avoid the center – but failed.

Otherwise, Fercher explains, the community center will no longer be called that, because “it’s not a center like a city, and it certainly won’t become urban.” The correct terms are now “village house” and “culture house”. It sounds a lot cuter.