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The future of Parque de Atracciones de Madrid will be decided in a public tender
Parque de Atracciones de Madrid is preparing for a historic change. The Ayuntamiento will launch a public tender for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the site after nearly 60 years under the same operator, Parques Reunidos.
The decision seeks to give new impetus to one of the capital's major family leisure spaces. The municipal objective is to make it more competitive, attract more visitors and strengthen its role as a tourism and entertainment hub within Casa de Campo.
The announcement will form part of the debate on the state of the city. The City Council plans to publish the tender specifications in the coming weeks, setting out the conditions for choosing the park's future operator.
The new concession will be awarded to the bidder presenting the proposal most advantageous to municipal interests. The main criteria will include mandatory investments to modernise the site and incorporate new attractions.
Most of the investment must be allocated to refurbishments or the creation of new attractions. Improvements to the accessibility of the park and its different areas will also be required, with the aim of moving towards a more inclusive space for all types of visitor.
The tender will also include investments linked to energy savings. In a venue of this size, efficiency is no minor detail: lighting, maintenance, climate control, consumption and daily management are all part of the pending modernisation.
One protected element will be the carousel, a historic piece made in France in 1927 and acquired by the park in 1968 from a Spanish fairground operator. The conditions will require the future concessionaire to pay special attention to its preservation, maintenance and consolidation.
If the carousel needs restoration, the new operator must carry out the necessary works. The idea is that the park's renewal should not erase some of its most recognisable elements, those that form part of the memory of several generations of Madrid residents.
The City Council also stipulates that permitted works may not reduce the current area allocated to green zones and landscaped open spaces. This point is key because of the park's location within Casa de Campo, one of Madrid's great urban lungs.
The Parque de Atracciones opened its doors during the San Isidro festivities of 1968, although the initial award was made in 1967. Since then, Parques Reunidos has been the only company responsible for its construction, preservation and operation.
Over these decades, the site has undergone several refurbishments. The last major transformation took place in two phases, in 2014 and 2018, with the creation of the Nickelodeon children's area, one of the zones that reinforced its appeal for families with children.
The park receives around one million visitors a year. Its main audience remains local, with families with children aged six to 12 and young people aged 14 to 18 as the most common profiles.
The new tender opens a sensitive stage for a space that blends leisure, memory and city. Madrid wants a more modern, accessible and attractive park, but the challenge will be to renew it without losing what has made it a sentimental landmark for decades for those who grew up among Casa de Campo, summer queues and first roller coasters.