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Redevelopment work at Real Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is set to be wrapped up just before Christmas, according to a new report.
Spanish newspaper AS reported that the Spanish LaLiga club had informed some stakeholders, including representatives of supporters’ clubs, of an intention to hold a grand reopening event on December 23.
Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz – a fan of the club – is lined up to perform at the event, which will also be attended by other famous Real supporters from the sport and cultural sectors.
The final stages of the redevelopment work are likely to focus on the retail areas of the stadium, the report added.
The wide-ranging project has featured the installation of a retractable pitch system to ensure the stadium can fulfil more of a multi-purpose remit, as well as the installation of giant beams to allow the stadium’s virtual museum to be extended.
Stainless steel sheets have also been fitted on the roof, while 200 panels of the outer stadium shell have been installed and covered with sheets for their conservation.
In May, the club’s latest accounts showed that the accumulated investment in the stadium redevelopment project had increased from €537.8m in 2021-22 to €892.7m in 2022-23.
Owing to the ongoing renovation work, the Bernabéu’s capacity was restricted to around 63,000 last season. Accordingly, stadium revenues in 2022-23 were 13% lower than in 2018-19. Following the revamp, the capacity will be back above 80,000.
Real estimates that the increase in revenue from the full commercial availability of the stadium will come into effect from January 2024 and develop progressively. As a result, the club estimates that stadium revenues will increase “significantly”, with further rises anticipated in 2024-25 when the revamped Bernabéu is fully operational.
Real’s final match before the LaLiga winter break will be away at Alavés on December 20 – three days before the proposed reopening event.
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