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Lorca bullring revamp will be completed in November
The Sutullena Bullring in Lorca will be repurposed to host a variety of events
The long-awaited facelift for the Sutullena Plaza de Toros de Lorca is in the final stretch and builders have assured that the project will be completed by mid-November.
Works to turn the bullring into a multi-purpose space resumed on May 11 2020 but the scheme has suffered multiple delays, with contractors originally suggesting the entire structure should be torn down rather than renovated.
Mayor Fulgencio Gil Jódar said he regretted that the project has taken so long to come to fruition but expressed his excitement on visiting the venture earlier this week.
The new arena, he said, "will not only host bullfighting, but also driving contests, concerts, sports, social, recreational, cultural activities... It will be a complex to revitalise the city." He added that “the unfortunate thing is that it is still under construction after so long. It is one of the last monuments that remain to be rebuilt after the earthquakes of May 2011”.
The only fly in the ointment at this final stage is the deteriorated balconies, whose replacement hasn’t been budgeted for.
The solution, the mayor suggested, could be in the Municipal Employment Workshops: “There is no economic allocation for the wooden grandstand, so we are studying different formulas for its financing, as well as for its construction. It is very important to have this area that will substantially increase the capacity”.
With just weeks left in the project, Mr Gil Jódar is looking forward to the boost it will bring to Lorca.
“It was acquired, its rehabilitation was projected, financing was sought and, now, after four years, we return to finish an exciting project. It is an essential monument for the city, linked to the history of the municipality and which aspires to be a fundamental pole of tourist and cultural attraction... with a totally different concept. It will host events, but it will also be visitable,” he said.
Today, the stands and viewing box are almost completed while the plumbing and masonry work are well under way. In the coming months, builders will focus on the finishes, carpentry, glass and electrical elements, among others.
For more local news, events and visiting information go to the home page of Lorca Today
Image: Ayuntamiento de Lorca
