On January 21, 2021, the head of the Adjara Cultural Heritage Agency, Zaur Akhvlediani, granted “Ambassador Batumi” permission to build a 16-story hotel in the boulevard. In 2020, during the election year, the company had attempted to obtain a permit for a 15-story construction. At that time, they were refused. However, in 2021, during the first working week of the year, the company was granted permission to build a 16-story hotel in the boulevard, which sparked protests among Batumi residents. Batumi Boulevard had the status of a cultural heritage monument, and the construction of a hotel there was considered unacceptable.

On January 23, a protest was held at the colonnades in the central part of Batumi’s old boulevard. Later, a social media campaign was launched.

With hashtags such as #Don’tGiveUpChildhood, #TheBoulevardIsMineYoursOurs, #ILoveBatumi, supporters of preserving Batumi Boulevard and opposing construction shared family photographs taken in the boulevard to show that the place held special meaning for them.

The movement “Protect Batumi Boulevard” also created a petition. More than 5,000 citizens joined the demand to “Stop the destruction of Batumi Boulevard.”

Despite the resistance, construction began. On February 21, activists tore down part of the construction site fence in protest. The next day, they demanded a meeting with the representative of the company “Ambassador” in Batumi, but no one appeared at the protest, which angered the demonstrators. They expressed their protest by banging on the construction fence and making noise.

There was a brief confrontation between demonstrators and police officers guarding the construction site.

On March 2, activists gathered in front of the Adjara Ministry of Education and called on the Adjara Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports, Maia Khajishvili, to annul the construction permit issued for the 16-story “Ambassador Batumi” building in the boulevard and thereby stop the construction.

“We will not give up the boulevard” — read a large banner carried by the demonstrators outside the ministry. However, on March 9, it became known that Maia Khajishvili did not use her authority to suspend the construction of the 16-story building in Batumi Boulevard. On March 13, Batumi residents again protested the construction. Musicians joined the protest that day.

The construction was also challenged in court by the movement “Batoma,” with the assistance of the NGO EMC, but without success.

On March 13, activists held another protest in the form of a performance. They left messages on the construction fence, set up tents, and placed bicycles there — to emphasize, as activist Aza Gabunia said, that the boulevard is a recreational space, a place for rest and walking, and that construction in the middle of a park with cultural heritage status is unacceptable.

Meanwhile, construction continued. According to information published on September 18 by the newspaper “Batumelebi,” the public learned that the company had increased the height even further — now building a 17-story hotel. In the following years, the height of the building continued to increase. By October 5, 2022, the building was already 21 stories tall (with 3 underground floors).