Plans have been proposed for major redevelopment work at the Estadio El Campín in the Colombian capital of Bogotá.
Bogotá’s District Institute of Recreation and Sports (IDRD), which owns the stadium, has received a proposal from a public-private alliance to rebuild the venue and expand its capacity from 36,000 to 45,000.
The revamped stadium would feature a retractable roof, along with a sports complex, multi-purpose auditorium, a commercial area and renovated public space. The project would require more than COP1bn (£195m/€230m/$267m) of funding and will be reviewed by the IDRD over the coming months.
“As of today, the IDRD has up to nine months to review this proposal and determine if we have a project that serves recreation, sports and the development of the city and that transforms our stadium into a stage of international stature,” IDRD director Blanca Durán said.
If the project is granted approval, the IDRD would open a process to select companies to work on the revamp. The works could potentially begin in December 2023 and last until 2027, with the promoters of the new stadium to be given a 30-year contract to operate the site.
The project would also require approval from local finance and planning authorities. Edgar Cardona, director of the team behind the proposal, said the project would not use the public budget.
Cardona told Colombian newspaper El Tiempo: “This is a scheme that allows Bogotá to achieve a large-scale project for the city, without investing a single peso of public budget, and additionally to achieve economic reactivation, generating about 1,500 jobs during the construction stage and approximately 4,500 in operations.
“Additionally, the city will receive an infrastructure that exceeds $280m, which in 30 years, taking into account its appreciation, is estimated to correspond to $500m.”
Estadio El Campín serves as the home of Millonarios and Indpendiente Santa Fe, which both play in the top tier of Colombian club football. The stadium, which opened in 1938, is also used to stage music concerts.
Image: StevenCard30/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size
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