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Bernabéu accelerates the return of major concerts after the judicial turn
Santiago Bernabéu moves closer again to major concerts. After months of controversy over noise and neighbourhood complaints, the shelving of the criminal case against Real Madrid has changed the situation and revived talks between authorities, promoters and event organisers.
Florentino Pérez said this week that concerts will return to the stadium “very soon”. His words come just as the Community of Madrid is considering possible legal adjustments to offer greater legal certainty to companies that organise large-scale events. Isabel Díaz Ayuso publicly defended the need to facilitate this kind of event and prevent Madrid from losing ground to other European capitals.
The court ruling made known in recent days relieves the club of criminal responsibility for excessive noise and puts the focus on promoters, who are directly responsible for controlling acoustic levels and the technical conditions of each concert. Until now, legal uncertainty and the risk of penalties had held back many companies, which preferred to opt for other venues such as the Metropolitano.
Music promoters have long been calling for clearer rules. They consider the Bernabéu to be one of the few spaces in Madrid capable of competing with major international stadiums and attracting global tours, but they insist that they cannot bear alone all the risks arising from noise or possible administrative disputes.
Meanwhile, the conflict with part of the local neighbourhood is still far from being resolved. The Neighbourhood Association of People Affected by the Bernabéu has already announced that it will appeal the court decision and maintains that the underlying problem remains unresolved. Affected residents say that concerts disturb their rest and doubt that the stadium can acoustically isolate large-format events without very high investment.
For the time being, the City Council is not considering changes to municipal noise regulations. However, it does acknowledge the difficulty of balancing residents’ rest with the economic and cultural impact generated by major events in a city such as Madrid.
The Bernabéu has spent years becoming more than a football stadium. The renovation promoted by Real Madrid seeks to turn it into a multifunctional venue capable of hosting concerts, shows and major international events throughout the year. The challenge now is to find a formula that allows this activity without reopening the permanent conflict with Chamartín residents.