City tours are one of Cologne's strong points. But if you want to get beyond the cathedral, the Romanesque churches and the old city, ask Werner Ruegemer, a journalist. He will take you on a tour of the landmarks of the Koelsche Kluengel, or Cologne Clique, a particular form of wheeling and dealing for which the city is famous across the country. Mr Ruegemer may soon want to add some new attractions to his tour. A couple of big local property deals-an event fo- rum called Koelnarena and an addition to the city's exhibition centre-have caused a stir recently. The exhibition centre, say critics, was approved without the usual official EU-wide call for bids-though the city treasurer explains that this type of contract does not require a bidding process, and that Ernst & Young, a firm of accountants, was asked to check out the market.
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