The City Council and Atlético de Madrid have officially laid the first stone for the ‘Ciudad del Deporte’ project
Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, our president, Enrique Cerezo, and our CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil, represented the City Council and Atlético de Madrid as they laid down the first stone for the project.
The first stone of the future ‘Ciudad del Deporte’ urban development project around the Cívitas Metropolitano was laid on Tuesday 2 June. This project aims to make a positive impact with a sustainable and innovative approach and is one of the strategic measures looking to transform the northeast area of Madrid.
As the first stone was officially laid, our president, Enrique Cerezo, defined the ‘Ciudad del Deporte’ as “an exciting project that will make this area of Madrid innovative, unique and iconic, as well as an example for the city as a whole.” He continued: “The ‘Ciudad del Deporte’ will include an athletics track, 11- and 7-a-side football pitches, multisport courts for team sports and padel courts. Additionally, a mini-stadium, training pitches, a high-performance centre and a place of residence will all be built for our teams and players who make up the Atlético de Madrid Academy. We’re turning our dream into reality and creating a legacy for the next generations of Atlético players.”
Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, said: “It’s a good day for Atlético, for the people of Madrid and for the residents of the San Blas-Canillejas district. Laying the first stone for the ‘Ciudad del Deporte’ means that the City of Madrid can look forward to some more top-class sporting facilities that will set a great example.” He also added that the new sports complex “will allow the Kokes of the future to be developed right on the doorstep of the Cívitas Metropolitano.”
Our CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil, said: “This is us realising a dream. We started working on moving the stadium to another district in 2005. What seemed at the time like a big challenge which could be difficult for the fans has become an opportunity to grow. With this initiative, we want to show the world that, through the club, we can create transformational projects. We are much more than just 90 minutes of football, and we can develop the next generations and help people to have a better future.”
The mayor of Madrid, plus our president, Enrique Cerezo, our CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil, and delegate of works and equipment, Paloma García Romero, were accompanied by Atlético de Madrid Academy player Taufik Seidu and UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship champion Emma Moreno, who is also one of our academy players, as well as Claudia Gómez and Miguel Espinosa from Club de Atletismo Suanzes de San Blas. After their speeches, they placed in a box banners of the City Council and our club, a USB containing the plans for the project, examples of national, local and sports newspapers, a legal tender coin and commemorative shirts of Club de Atletismo Suanzes and for Atlético’s 120th anniversary.
Afterwards, the four athletes, the mayor and our president, Enrique Cerezo, moved to the one of the areas where the sports facilities will be built in order to lay the first stone for the ‘Ciudad del Deporte’. This moment was immortalised in a Polaroid photograph, which was also placed in the box, and this was buried alongside the first stone.
Among others, the event was also attended by our vice-president, Antonio Alonso, board member Óscar Gil, football managing director, Carlos Bucero, revenue & operations managing director, Óscar Mayo, and club legends Roberto Fresnedoso, Carlos Peña, Francisco Javier Bermejo, Julio Orozco, Abel Resino, Manolo Sánchez Delgado, Juan Carlos Pedraza and Mauri Camello.
Located in the district of San Blas-Canillejas, the ‘Ciudad del Deporte’ will change the infrastructure of the area, improve life in the city and become a key meeting point for the people of Madrid.
