Rose Revolution Square is still under re-construction. It had two anchors, The Hotel Iveria and the reviewing stand for Mayday parades. One is gone and the other utterly transformed.
In 2004 I wrote: “Georgia has some of the screwiest modern Socialist Realism on the planet, including a massive, several story high multi arched reviewing stand for May Day parades that looks like what Le Cobisier would build if he had a commission from McDonald’s. Locals playfully call it ‘Andropov’s Ears.’ Andropov’s Ears is where President Saakashvili reviewed the troops last week and made his saber rattling speech on Adjara.”
Andropov’s Ears were torn down in 2005. President Saakashvili swung the first sledge hammer. The place where the “ears” sprouted is still vacant but is planned to be part of “Rose Revolution Square.
The Hotel Radisson Blue across Rose Revolution Square from the site of Andropov’s Ears is a luxury establishment. But as I wrote in 1995
“The Hotel Iveria, which was a vertical refugee camp 16 months ago, is gutted and will be re-launched as a “Silk Road” hotel. According to Lika each of the refugee families got a settlement from the hotel company of almost $4,000.”
The hotel did not become a Silk Road but rather a Radisson. But it keeps some of the old name, it houses the Iveria Casino.
