Marbella's new stadium promises to revolutionise the sporting and urban map of the city. The project combines sports, tourism and commercial functions, offering a luxury hotel, conference centre and shopping area. The investment, although controversial, is expected to generate millions of dollars in revenue and create thousands of jobs.

New stadium approved

Marbella Football Club has announced one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the region. According to an official announcement published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Málaga, the Marbella Football Club Foundation has been awarded the concession to build and operate Nuevo Estadio Municipal Antonio Lorenzo Cuevas, which will replace the existing facility. The decision was approved on November 18, and the project opens a new chapter in the history of sport and urban planning in Marbella.

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The new stadium in Marbella is more than a venue for football matches. With an eye on the future, the investment involves the creation of a multifunctional facility that will become a centre for sport, tourism and cultural events. The project includes the construction of a hotel with 90 rooms, a rooftop restaurant, a conference centre, a car park with 1,000 spaces and a shopping area. The stadium will accommodate up to 10 000 spectators, meeting the highest FIFA standards and preparing to co-host the 2030 World Cup. In all likelihood, the Marbella complex, would be one of the training and residency venues for one of the national teams.

There are also plans for a 1,500 m² sports centre, equipped with modern facilities such as hyperbaric chambers and specialised massage rooms. The entire project is valued at €114.3m and the price could still rise to €130m. In return, Marbella Town Hall will receive an annual fee of €221,500.

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Benefits for Marbella and financial projections

The Marbella Football Club Foundation stresses that the project is fully in the public interest. Profits from the operation of the stadium will be used to develop sport in Marbella, promote tourism and support young people at risk of social exclusion.

The project also foresees significant economic benefits. Revenue is estimated at €9.8 million in the first year, rising to €17.3 million after five years. Marbella Town Hall expects the investment to create between 1,600 and 2,300 new jobs and generate an annual GDP impact of between €36 million and €50 million.

Despite the numerous benefits, the manner in which the concession has been granted for 75 years to the Marbella FC Foundation is controversial. Critics argue that the process should have taken place through an open public tender, which would have ensured greater transparency and competitiveness. Additional doubts are raised by the fact that, although the Foundation operates as a non-profit organisation, the project involves the implementation of numerous commercial activities, such as the management of the hotel, restaurants and car park.

According to economic analyses, the stadium is expected to generate net profits of €332 million over the entire concession period. Expected revenues include, among others, revenues from the seven food and beverage areas, amounting to between €3.5 million and €5 million per year, and from the hotel, which is expected to generate between €5.6 million and €8.5 million per year during the first period of operation. After initial losses in the first four years, the project will start making a profit from the fifth year.

© Huete Arquitectos