Benidorm’s city council has formally awarded the contract to change its long-dormant bullring, a impressive step in the city’s urban renewal. The €13.87 million project, awarded to a consortium of Gestaser, Urdecon and Plaza de Toros, will turn the 1962 arena, unused for years and now mostly a storage site, into a multifunctional cultural and youth centre. PP and Vox supported the decision, while PSOE abstained.
The overhaul is part of the broader Plan EDIL and will receive 60% co-financing from EU Feder funds for the 2021-27 period. The works cover structural rehabilitation of the bullring, creation of a multifunctional youth centre and improved urban links, especially between the Els Tolls neighbourhood and the rest of Benidorm. Council spokesperson Lourdes Caselles defended the joint tender for design and construction, citing technical advice that this approach would better manage the building’s structural complexity and keep the project on schedule.
In parallel, the Generalitat has announced an international competition to complete Benidorm’s seafront. The project has a total investment of €50 million, with €3.8 million allocated for the winning design. It must meet criteria for architectural excellence, field integration, urban quality, sustainability and technical feasibility. The selected team will draft the project, conduct the environmental impact study and oversee construction. Runners-up will receive €30,000 and €20,000, respectively. Authorities expect to launch the competition before year-end, allow three months for submissions and select a winning proposal by early 2027.
One of the most contentious issues is the fate of the Gemelos 28 towers, two 21-storey buildings with 256 apartments subject to demolition orders arising from coastal-protection litigation. The Generalitat says it is awaiting a response to a proposal sent to the Ministry in March, leaving the legal and urban future of the site unresolved.
The seafront project aims to create a continuous pedestrian promenade along the entire bay, strengthening the connection between the city, field and sea. Officials hope the design will set a benchmark for coastal architecture and urban regeneration in the region. The initiative is considered one of the most ambitious of its kind in the Comunitat Valenciana, and the Generalitat is seeking to attract top international talent. The move follows a series of high-profile urban interventions in the area, including recent archaeological discoveries near Alicante’s beaches, as covered in reports such as the unearthing of a Roman Venus head during local construction works.
Benidorm’s bullring once held 10,000 people, but its deteriorated state has kept it from hosting events for years. The planned change is expected to revive the structure and surrounding neighbourhoods, while the seafront competition could reshape the city’s image for decades. The Gemelos 28 dispute remains a basic factor in the coastal redevelopment’s legal and urban context.
The bullring remains part of Benidorm’s wider event field: Radio Benidorm-Cadena SER’s published programme for the 2026 municipal festivities lists the inauguration of a fairground enclosure beside the arena for Friday, 6 November. The announcement identifies the venue as a city landmark and a neighbour to an event space; it does not specify the bullring’s operational status.
Benidorm is one of Spain’s most visited tourist destinations, known for its high-rise skyline and Mediterranean beaches. Urban renewal projects like these are increasingly common in Spanish coastal cities, reflecting disputes over land use and efforts to modernise public spaces. In a separate initiative, the Diputación de Alicante announced on 23 February 2023 an investment of more than €2.4 million to promote Benidorm’s urban change. That announcement describes a distinct provincial investment and does not specify a connection to the bullring or seafront schemes. Across the country, EU funding and international design competitions are becoming a preferred model for large-scale urban interventions.
