Atlético Madrid has presented a major project that will transform the area around the Metropolitano Stadium into the heart of the musical and cultural life of the Spanish capital. In the brand new “Ciudad del Deporte” (the House of Sport), a multifunctional pavilion designed to host concerts and events with a capacity of 20,000 spectators will be built, along with a university campus of over 20,000 square meters (managed by the private University Alfonso X el Sabio) for 2,300 students. It will offer degree courses in various fields, such as health, sports, and entertainment. All these infrastructures will rise on one of the public lands granted by the city council for a period of 75 years, and in some way will confirm the great development of the colchonero club in an extremely profitable field for contemporary clubs: that related to non-football events, starting – of course – from concerts, up to the Formula One Grand Prix.
The project was presented by the CEO of Atlético de Madrid, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, and the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, and also includes the creation of several commercial areas (although some groups in the city council of the Spanish capital still need to be convinced), for a total investment that could reach 800 million euros. A commitment from the Atlético company that in some ways matches the recent total reconstruction of the Bernabéu, which Real Madrid has transformed into a true industrial brand that stands on its own (and generates a lot of money, of course). A sign of a Madrid that is increasingly keeping up with the times and becoming more and more the capital of global football in the modern sense of the term. With clubs attentive not only to the sporting side but also to the infrastructures and centers connected to them.
For the realization of the “Ciudad del Deporte”, the Colchoneros have formed a partnership with Oak View Group and Live Nation, two giants in the global live music, sports events, and large arena management industry. The goal is therefore to transform the area around the Metropolitano Stadium into the epicenter of music, concerts, and events in the city of Madrid. In a space usable by citizens 365 days a year, which combines sports, leisure, and culture within it. And which, of course, brings new revenues to the colchonero club.