Featured image credit: Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires
Guillermo Montenegro, Mayor of the Municipality of General Pueyrredón, has outlined plans to launch a tender process to secure a partner to redevelop and operate Estadio José María Minella, which was built for Argentina’s staging of the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
Although the stadium in Mar del Plata, one of three to be developed for the 1978 World Cup, is still in use, it has fallen into a state of disrepair, with its main covered grandstand closed since September 2021 due to structural issues.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday (Thursday), Montenegro outlined that a national or international tender process is intended which will also incorporate the Polideportivo Islas Malvinas arena and other facilities located within the Teodoro Bronzini Municipal Sports Park complex.
The stadium is still used as the home ground of local football teams Club Atlético Alvarado and Club Atlético Aldosivi, but officials are seeking that it can be brought back to its former glory and reclaim its position as a host venue for Argentina games and other major events such as concerts. Indeed, in recent years, there had been talk of the Argentina Football Association (AFA) potentially looking at Estadio José María Minella as being the future home for the national teams.
Unlike other stadiums in Argentina, which are managed and financed by their provinces, the Minella is owned by the Municipality of General Pueyrredón, which while allowing it the freedom to make decisions also affords financial challenges in terms of upkeep.
Mauro Martinelli, the Municipality’s Secretary of Finance, Legal and Technical Affairs, said the proposal being envisioned comprises of a 30-year stadium concession, with the option of a 10-year extension.
Clarín said the stadium project in itself would require investment of between $20m (£15.24m/€17.99m) and $30m, with the most ambitious vision being completely covering it with a roof and expansion from its current capacity of around 35,000 to more than 50,000.
Montenegro said: “I completely rule out the use of public funds. It is impossible to meet this expense because there are other priorities and the state is not a real estate company or an event producer, the private sector is much more prepared for that.”
He added that he has already held meetings “with the AFA and other interested parties”.
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