Büyükada's historic Splendid Palas Hotel in the spotlight over threat allegations

Adalar Deputy Mayor Hüseyin Yılmaz filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office on July 30, 2025, alleging that hotel official A. G. had threatened him. The reason for the threats is the municipality's cancellation of the hotel's operating license. Yılmaz submitted an audio recording to the prosecutor's office as evidence.

Examinations conducted by the municipality's Zoning Directorate revealed that the fire safety report the historic building received from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) in 2011 was invalid, yet an operating license was issued in 2012, and while a restoration permit was obtained, the building lacked an occupancy permit. For this reason, the hotel's operating license was canceled by the municipality. The hotel management was given a deadline to cease operations and reapply for an occupancy permit. However, the hotel management appealed the license cancellation to the administrative court, which issued a stay of execution. The municipality has appealed this decision.

While the legal process is ongoing, Adalar Deputy Mayor Hüseyin Yılmaz filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office, claiming that hotel official A. G. had threatened him. Yılmaz stated that during a meeting held in his office on July 30, 2025, A. G. made threats by using the names of certain politicians and journalists. In the audio recording submitted as evidence, it is alleged that A. G. used expressions such as, "Things are going to get messy, very bad things will happen, bad things could happen to both the municipality and you." It is also reported that Yılmaz made the recording because he had no other way to obtain evidence. The audio is currently being examined by the prosecutor's office.