Saddam's Villas to Open for Tourists? Tikrit Seeking Investors

Saddam's Villas Opening for Tourists?

With Saddam Hussein long gone, local officials are seeking investors to turn their Saddam's villas into tourist attractions to help the province generate income. The 76 abandoned Saddam villas would only need rehabilitation and a few things to transform the area into a tourist attraction, says the head of Salahuddin's investment commission.

The palace in Tikrit covers more than 1,000 acres, with 136 buildings and artificial lakes in site. The US Army used it as a base before November 2005.

Salahuddin's governor Mutasher Hussein Allawi is inviting foreign investment because the province does not have the budge to quickly rebuild the infrastructure.

A majority of visitors to Iraq are Muslim pilgrims who visit the holy sites, and only few are drawn to ancient ruins. There is an estimated 1.25 million religious visitors last year, up since 2007 when violence subsided.

Officials are considering turning other Saddam villas into resorts.

A resident in Tikrit said he welcome foreign investment, "Salahuddin's security situation is good compared with other provinces, we are upbeat about the future."