Long-delayed luxury revamp of former Athens airport to start in February

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of the former airport complex of Hellenikon, in Athens, Greece, August 25, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File Photo

ATHENS (Reuters) - After years of delays, an 8 billion euro {$9.2 billion) project to turn Athens' former airport into a luxury resort should start construction in February, its developer said on Tuesday.

Lamda Development won a tender in 2014 to transform the 1,500-acre (600-hectare) site of the former Hellenikon airport, where disused runways, terminals and former Olympic venues have sat abandoned for almost two decades.