Nueva Romareda – design description

The first concrete project to build a new stadium for Real Zaragoza, by Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill, was conceived in 2002. The stadium was to be built in the southwestern suburb of Valdespartera.

The project was the subject of political wrangling, with the PP and PAR parties in favor, while the PSOE and CHA were opposed. In the summer of 2003, after local elections, the opposition proved too strong and the project nevertheless failed.

The new mayor, Juan Alberto Belloch, was also in favor of construction, but the stadium was to be built on the site of the old La Romareda. A new architectural competition was held, the results of which were announced in December 2004, and the winner was Estudio Lamela of Madrid (in cooperation with sbp).

The new stadium was to receive covered, two-tiered stands with a capacity of 42,600 spectators, with an extensive glass-enclosed VIP area to the west. The design featured an angular body and numerous commercial areas on the first floor. As an option, a tall building with offices, a hotel and stores was to be built along the main stand.

The facility was to have been the arena for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics, had their organization been awarded to the city of Jaca in the Pyrenees, but Jaca was not even among the three candidates shortlisted for the final phase of selection as host of the Games.

The construction concession was awarded to a consortium of Sacyr and Acciona. In exchange for building the stadium, the companies were to receive the equivalent of the construction costs (more than €70 million) in the form of development land.

A construction schedule was drawn up: preliminary work was to begin on April 17, 2006 and go into full swing after the end of the season; the new facility was to be ready in March 2008, before the start of Expo 2008, which was to be held in Zaragoza.

However, on April 17, 2006, the day workers were already beginning preliminary work, the court ordered a halt to all activities as a precautionary measure due to appeals against the stadium's construction.

The appeals were filed on suspicion of irregularities during the granting of concessions and the project's non-compliance with safety regulations. However, the case was also politically tinged: the applications were submitted by the PAR and PP parties, the same ones that were blocked by the opposition from implementing the previous stadium project.

In 2007, the court upheld the appeals and canceled the construction contract, so the project was abandoned. In April 2008, the city reached a compromise with the Sacyr-Acciona consortium, which was awarded compensation of more than €2.1 million due to the cancellation of the contract.

After the failure of the project from Estudio Lamela, the City Council decided on February 1, 2008 to build a new stadium in the southeastern district of San José. Another competition was held, which was won in July 2008 by a studio led by Zaragoza-based architect Joaquín Sicilia.

However, the plans were buried by the financial crisis, and the construction of a new stadium in Zaragoza was not achieved until 2024, in preparation for the 2030 World Cup.