Plans have been unveiled for Real Madrid’s incredible €525 million renovation of its iconic Bernabeu home.
The Spanish football giants are embarking on a €525 million renovation of their iconic home – and
Unveiling computerised images, club president Florentino Perez said the four-year refurbishment – due to begin this summer – will make the Bernabeu the “best stadium in the world”.
Tech is at the heart of the plans, including a 360-degree video scoreboard, retractable roof and steel skin which will allow images to be illuminated and projected on the exterior surface of the stadium.
In the style of Tottenham Hotspur’s new tech-enabled stadium – which hosted its first senior game in Wednesday night – the ground will feature leisure and entertainment facilities in an attempt to keep fans at the stadium for longer.
Real will continue to play at the ground while the work is carried out.
“This event is the definitive start of the countdown to launch an authentic architectural innovation in our stadium,” said Perez.
“A Santiago Bernabeu stadium that will become a great avant-garde and universal icon. Located in the heart of Madrid, it will be the best stadium in the world.
“More modern, more comfortable, safer and designed for entertainment, with new areas of leisure and catering and where the most advanced technology will be key for fans to live new experiences.
“We are facing one of the great projects of the future for Real Madrid and, of course, it will be also for the city of Madrid.”
?? The new Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.#RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/6qUYfsPPEA
— Real Madrid C.F. ???????? (@realmadriden) September 23, 2018
Perez has revealed €100m will be spent on tech and innovation, with other plans including free Wi-Fi access at the 81,000-capacity ground, a dedicated space for eSports and an interactive museum showing the club’s history in full virtual reality.
It will take the European champions 35 years to pay off the debt it will accrue developing the new-look Bernabeu. However Perez has promised it will generate €150m a year in additional revenue.
Perez also said that €300m of the funds would improve the area around the Bernabeu and include “digital points of sale of the most prestigious electronics and consumer brands… this will turn common areas into a showcase for global news”.