09 March 2011

Azcapotzalco stadium and arena project suspended – for now

Construction project in jeopardy following months of protests and opposition from local residents

By BRONSON PETTITT

Mexico Weekly / March 9, 2011

Construction of a stadium and arena in northern Mexico City is in jeopardy, following months of protests and opposition from local residents that prompted the project to be suspended Tuesday.

On Monday, Economic Development Secretary Laura Velázquez said the the project would no longer be built in Azcapotzalco Borough.

However, her husband and Azcapotzalco Borough Mayor Enrique Vargas, said he was unaware the project was suspended, Reforma wrote.

In fact, only Tuesday Mexico City official José García Ochoa said the government was still studying several alternatives, and are still considering going ahead with the project as planned originally.

The stadium was to be located on 7.2 hectares of land located within the limits of Eje 5 Norte, San Pablo, El Rosario and Matlacoatl streets. In the initial project plans, parts of the Reynosa Athletic Center and the adjacent Alameda Norte – said to be the only important green spaces left in the heavily industrial borough – were be cleared to make room for the 55,000-seat stadium.

Local residents argued that streets adjacent to the construction site would bring in traffic to streets not designed to handle such an influx. Opponents also said that the city was opaque in the information it released regarding the project and land rezoning.

The three plots of land, totaling 16.5 hectares and valued at 1.5 billion pesos ($125 million), were rezoned to establish three trusts under the name Acting by Cooperation, in which the city provides the land and businesses provide the investment.

Responding to reporters on what will happen with the plots of land on which the unfinished stadium and arena stand, Velázquez said: “It's not up to the borough [to decide] because the project isn't going to be [built] there,” reported Reforma.

Back on Jan. 29, Azcapotzalco Borough posted the following message on its website: “To restore peace among citizens, and as long as there is not enough information … we oppose the arena-stadium [project].”

Calls made by Mexico Weekly to city officials Wednesday to confirm if the project was indeed suspended were not answered.


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