Live Nation, Oak View Group (OVG) and Atlético de Madrid announce the development of a multifunctional entertainment, sports, and education complex
The project will give new life to the former Aquatic Centre located near the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
This morning, the official presentation event for the project took place in the surroundings of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Miguel Ángel Gil, our CEO, hosted the event, which was also attended by José Luis Martínez Almeida, Mayor of Madrid.
Also speaking at the presentation were Pino Sagliocco, President of Live Nation Spain, and Chris Granger, CEO of OVG. These companies, together with our Club, form Barsento, the body responsible for the project. The initiative has been designed with the aim of helping Madrid strengthen its position as a leading cultural and leisure destination at both national and European level, with a positive impact on the local economy through the attraction of tourism and international events. Also present at the event were Almudena Maíllo, President of the San Blas - Canillejas District, and Paloma García, Delegate for Works and Equipment, as well as Jesús Núñez, President of Grupo UAX, and Alfonso Arroyo, Deputy to Presidency of GOfit.
Miguel Ángel Gil explained: “We have spent nearly 15 years searching for a way to bring this site to life, convinced that it could become the city's premier leisure and entertainment destination. Today, we can say we have succeeded, because the key was finding truly complementary activities that will generate real value for the district. We are immensely proud to feature a music arena led by Live Nation and OVG, a university and vocational training campus of UAX’s caliber, and the top-tier sports facilities that GOfit will provide. This project is the result of years of tenacity. Atlético de Madrid has acted as the great integrator, uniting efforts and shared visions around a 400 million euro investment, and finding the pieces that complement and strengthen our 'Ciudad del Deporte.' My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who made this possible”.
The multi-functional complex, whose construction will begin shortly, will be built around three pillars: an indoor music arena with a capacity of more than 20,000 people, an educational campus for 2,300 students led by Grupo UAX, and a sports centre managed by GOfit with capacity for 9,000 users.
This initiative is independent from, yet complementary to, the Sports City project. Together, the two developments will transform the area around the Riyadh Air Metropolitano into a unique hub for sport and leisure, serving both local residents and visitors from around the world.
