The purchase will also include long in-place plans to develop a large hotel and water park in Viljandi.

"The idea is serious," Gross told the paper. "The price is still varying by a couple of million euros, but it is with a high likelihood that we will be going through with it."

Gross along with developer Roman Kusma have presented their plans to the city of Viljandi and municipal politicians which will allow Gross to become the owner of the Aqva Spa Hotel in Rakvere, where he is based, as well as the yet-to-be-realized Viljandi spa hotel project.

The announcement came four days ahead of the contractual deadline for Aqva Hotels to erect a similar spa hotel in Viljandi.

The original plan established several years ago called for the Vilnadi development to be finished by September 2022, but an extension was granted due to financial issues which beset the Rakvere parent hotel as a result of the Covid pandemic.

ERR reported that Gross and Kusma have asked the relevant local authorities for a few months to finalize the details of the deal. Up to €35 million will be spent on the spa hotel in Viljandi, which will take two years to construct, Gross said.

Oleg Gross owns the Grossi kaubad supermarket chain.

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