Featured image credit: Wavegarden
Spanish LaLiga football club Atlético de Madrid has teamed up with real estate investment company Stoneweg and investment firm Teras Capital to launch an innovative urban beach facility near its Cívitas Metropolitano stadium.
The facility will form part of Atlético’s wider Sports City project, which is also set to include a 6,000-seat mini stadium for its reserve and women’s teams, 25 padel courts, a climbing wall and a skateboarding space.
The urban beach project, said to be the largest of its kind in Europe, will feature waves generated by Wavegarden, an engineering company dedicated to the research, design, manufacture, installation and operation of wave-generating systems and surfing lagoons.
The company is based in the Basque Country near the city of San Sebastián in northern Spain and has fitted installations around the world. It is hoped the Cívitas Metropolitano facility will open in the first quarter of 2025.
The facility will look to tap into the growing interest in surfing, sparked by the sport’s debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. With the availability of ideal coastal locations dependent on the weather, artificial facilities have become increasingly popular.
Waves produced by the Wavegarden Cove technology will be suitable for people of all abilities. The company’s Wave Menu has more than 20 different types of waves ranging in size and power from 0.5m to 2m.
The Madrid facility will be equipped with a surf school, surf shop, skatepark, beach bars, amenities for young children and other beach sport activities.
Josema Odriozola, chief executive and founder of Wavegarden, said: “This project represents a significant milestone for Wavegarden as it further solidifies our vision of bringing surfing and its lifestyle to landlocked areas. In collaboration with the Teras Capital team, we have dedicated several years to finding the ideal location in Madrid, and we could not be more satisfied than to be part of this exciting Ciudad del Deporte (Sports City) project being developed by Atlético de Madrid.”
Joaquín Castellví, founding partner of Stoneweg and head of European acquisitions, added: “We are thrilled with this project. It represents a great opportunity for Stoneweg to meet new emerging demands. Through this collaboration with Atlético de Madrid, we will create an impressive surf park in Madrid, a symbol of sustainability and advanced technology, offering a unique experience for surf lovers and lifestyle enthusiasts globally.”
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