Two parking lots, a fan zone, picnic areas, and flood protection—this is how the surroundings of the temporary football stadium at Parking Nord will look, where Real Zaragoza will play for the next two seasons.

A new stadium in four months

The Zaragoza City Council recently approved the Aragon Government’s (DGA) plan to convert the former Expo 2008 North Parking lot into a temporary sports venue. The budget for the project, according to the documentation, is €2,590,751.85 (including VAT), and the estimated time for completion is four months. Construction work is set to start onJanuary 8 or 9, with the goal of finishing by the second week of May.

The urban development will be carried out alongside the installation of the modular stadium, which is expected to be completed by June 30. Víctor Serrano, the city councilor for urban development, explained that the works may overlap, and after the current season ends, the lights from La Romareda will be dismantled and moved to the new stadium.

The project, developed by the architectural firm MSM Urban Mater, includes all the necessary actions to ensure the proper setup of the new temporary stadium for Real Zaragoza, while also enabling the construction of the Nueva Romareda. The plan includes providing the necessary services, installations, and urban infrastructure to meet the requirements of a 20,000-seat stadium. This involves preparing the entire plot, which spans 155,745 m², excluding the construction work for the new portable stadium, which is part of a different project being handled by La Nueva Romareda, Serrano reported.

Improving mobility and creating new parking lots

While the fan zone and picnic area are planned, no food service points are expected around the stadium for now. The only bars will be inside the modular stadium itself. The existing services and the quality of the urban development will be improved, ensuring an enhancement of the landscape and environmental features, along with the design of new green and recreational areas, as well as improving mobility and the use of the parking area.

To the south will be Parking 1, with 1,205 spaces and an additional 31 adapted spaces, accessible via Ronda de Boltaña and a new exit road behind the fields of the Aragon Football Federation. The parking will be separated from the stadium by a road, a fan zone, and a ring road. To the north will be Parking 2, with 460 spaces and another 12 adapted spaces, also separated from the stadium by a road and the ring road. Entry will be possible via Ronda de Boltaña, with a second exit road closer to the roundabout to the north. A pedestrian path will also be opened between the site and the tramway axis to ensure intermodality. This path will lead to the already urbanized street that separates the fields of the Football Federation and the stadium from the Aragon Sports Centre.

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Many aspects require improvement and repair

The current condition of the area features an asphalt surface with patches in parking spots made of concrete, which are in good condition, so no actions are required other than regular cleaning of the space, which has not been maintained or used. However, the situation is different for the installations, which are in very poor condition. According to technical reports, the lighting fixtures are damaged or outdated compared to current standards, with bent poles, missing wiring and inspection covers, lack of water and telecommunications connections, and thefts of grilles and inspection covers.

The initial work related to the reurbanization of the plot will include the demolition and removal of the existing surface from both the area designated for the temporary stadium and the new green areas and gravel zones (previous parking lots), which will be repurposed for pedestrian paths, green spaces, or a new layout of asphalt roads.

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City prepares flood protection plan

The area will also need to have a self-defense plan in place to protect the stadium from exceptional floods due to its proximity to the Ebro River. However, as noted by the city councilor for spatial planning, infrastructure, energy, and housing, reports on soil flooding prepared by the Ebro River Basin Confederation indicate that the flood risk in this area is lower than commonly thought.

The report indicates that the flood risk does not affect the entire area, and it only concerns the northwestern part of the stadium. The area corresponding to Parking 2, with 460 spaces, could be submerged to a depth of 0.5 meters in a T100 scenario (a 1-in-100-year water flow). Precautionary measures are already being considered, Serrano assured, adding that among the planned actions is considering covering the spillover area of the Ebro River to prevent water from entering the site.

In the event of an extraordinary flood, the City Council stated that the procedure would differ. In the event of a severe phenomenon, measures will be taken to protect the public, completely eliminating the risk, said the mayor. This means that if such a situation arises, scheduled events would be canceled to prevent any danger to people.