http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl The no-nonsense travel guide to Amsterdam, Holland Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:07:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/686-amsterdam-coffeeshops-organized-crime http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/686-amsterdam-coffeeshops-organized-crime#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 17:07:28 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=686 The number of coffeeshops in Amsterdam's Red Light District will be reduced by 34 percent over the next 3-6 years.

The closures are meant to make a dent in the estimated €21 - 42 million in un-taxed, yearly profits made by organized crime syndicates that officials have documented as being involved on the supply side.

The proposed measure, expected to be accepted by the Amsterdam City Council, is part of a large-scale project to clean up and repurpose Amsterdam's city center. ]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/686-amsterdam-coffeeshops-organized-crime/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/681-coffeeshops-amsterdam-close http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/681-coffeeshops-amsterdam-close#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 10:21:17 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=681 According to the Municipality of Amsterdam the large number of coffeeshops in the center of town create an infrastructure that encourages criminality. The City refers to such establishments as 'crimogene' -- a term used to describe functions that encourage 'promotion or advancement of -- or susceptibility to -- criminality.'

The closures are part of the Coalition Project 1012, designed to spruce up downtown Amsterdam by -- among other things -- breaking the influence of organized crime.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/681-coffeeshops-amsterdam-close/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/657-amsterdams-red-light-district http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/657-amsterdams-red-light-district#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:48:40 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=657 Tourists are staying away from Amsterdam's 'clean' Red Light District as a result of Project 1012 -- the city's efforts to spruce up the area.

In response, German sex emperium Beate Ushe, for the most part now in Dutch hands, plans to start a publicity campaign designed to attract more foreign tourists to the world-famous district.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/657-amsterdams-red-light-district/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/652-amsterdam-red-light-district-prices-falling http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/652-amsterdam-red-light-district-prices-falling#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:07:12 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=652 The economic crisis is impacting one of the world's oldest trades: prostitution.

Prostitutes in Amsterdam's Red Light District told Dutch Daily Algemeen Dagblad the see fewer customers, higher rental rates for their 'windows,' and a sharp increase in the number of customers who want to pay less for their services.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/652-amsterdam-red-light-district-prices-falling/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/640-amsterdam-project-1012-discussion http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/640-amsterdam-project-1012-discussion#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:29:37 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=640 Amsterdammers who live in the area affected by Project 1012 -- the City's plans to reduce the number of brothels and coffeeshops in Amsterdam's downtown area and Red Light District -- were invited to have their say during a meeting with city officials.

Many of them feel stigmatized by the suggestion that their businesses are somehow promoting criminality.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/640-amsterdam-project-1012-discussion/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/609-amsterdam-brothels-coffeeshops-reprieved http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/609-amsterdam-brothels-coffeeshops-reprieved#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:50:28 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=609 After closing a number of brothels in the Singel canal area, Amsterdam Alderman Lodewijk Asscher tells the city's town council no further closures are necessary there.

The closures were part of the ambitious Project 1012, designed to 'clean up' Amsterdam's historic city center. The project has met with increasing resistance from locals and town council members.

Asscher also says that a number of coffeeshops scheduled for closure in the Red Light District will be able to close later than originally planned.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/609-amsterdam-brothels-coffeeshops-reprieved/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/458-amsterdam-armbrug http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/458-amsterdam-armbrug#comments Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:43:59 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=458 In the past sketches and paintings of this bridge were used to draw provincials to Amsterdam.

To-date this is still one of the city's most photographed and painted views.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/458-amsterdam-armbrug/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/432-zeedijk-amsterdam http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/432-zeedijk-amsterdam#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:11:30 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=432 The construction of the Zeedijk (sea dike) at the beginning of the 13th century meant that Amsterdam -- which at that time was called Aemstelledam -- was no longer subjected to regular flooding.

Through the centuries the street has seen many highs and lows, but currently it is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/432-zeedijk-amsterdam/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/291-gambling-halls-amsterdam-close http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/291-gambling-halls-amsterdam-close#comments Wed, 14 May 2008 08:01:18 +0000 CityDesk http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/?p=291 Het Parool, mayor Job Cohen informed Kaatee at the end of January that his permits would not be renewed, because there is a 'serious measure of danger' that the gambling halls are being used for money-laundering. ]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/291-gambling-halls-amsterdam-close/feed 0 http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/277-red-light-district-fashion-amsterdam http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/277-red-light-district-fashion-amsterdam#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:19:13 +0000 Amsterdam Guide http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/277-red-light-district-fashion-amsterdam [video]]]> http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/277-red-light-district-fashion-amsterdam/feed 0