x

The latest industry news to your inbox.


I'd like to hear about marketing opportunities

    

I accept IQ Magazine's Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

news

Barclaycard Center gets go-ahead for expansion

The former Madrid Sports Centre has received approval for a revamp that will see it grow its capacity to nearly 18,000

By IQ on 19 May 2016

Raphael, Barclaycard Center, Madrid, Materw

Spanish singer Raphael performs at the Barclaycard Center in December


image © Materw/Wikimedia Commons

The Barclaycard Center in Madrid, which currently seats 15,500 for concerts, has received approval to expand its capacity by over 12.5%, to a maximum of 17,453.

The increase in capacity has been made possible by improvements in escape routes and new security systems, reports Spain’s Association of Music Promoters (APM), which also notes that the newly enlarged venue will become a “more competitive facility [with which] to attract major international tours”.

Kiss, Muse Maroon 5 and Robbie Williams have all played the Barclaycard Center (formerly the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, or Community of Madrid Sports Centre) in the last year. In Pollstar’s end-of-year ranking of the world’s top 200 arenas the Barclaycard Center was 197th, selling 49,463 concert tickets in 2015, though APM notes that the arena was second only The O2 in London in the number of events held, with 131.