Estadio Luna Park

Estadio Luna Park

Facade of venue, c. 2005
Former names Estadio de Corrientes y Bouchard (planning/construction)
Address Avenida Madero 420
C1106ABE Buenos Aires
Argentina
Location San Nicolás
Owner Sociedad Salesiana de San Juan Bosco and Cáritas Argentina
Operator Time For Fun
Capacity 9,290
Construction
Broke ground 1931
Opened 6 February 1932 (1932-02-06)
Renovated 1934, 1951-52, 2006-08
Construction cost AR$2 million
Architect Jorge Kálnay
Structural engineer Mariani Hnos
General contractor Westley Williams y Cía
Website
Venue Website

Luna Park Stadium (Spanish: Estadio Luna Park, commonly known as Luna Park) is a multi-purpose arena located in the heart of Buenos Aires. Located at the corner of Avenida Corrientes and Avenida Bouchard; in the San Nicolás neighborhood. Initially, the arena primarily hosted boxing and other sporting events. In the 1950s, it was expanded to host stage shows and concerts.

The stadium has hosted countless internationally famous personalities, including Pope John Paul II, several ballets, tennis and volleyball matches, world championship and important non-championship boxing fights involving Nicolino Locche,[1] Hugo Corro,[2] Santos Laciar,[3] Carlos Monzón,[4] Omar Narvaez,[5] Juan Roldán, Julio César Vásquez[6] and many other famous boxers, circuses, the Harlem Globetrotters, Holiday on Ice and many more.

The arena also hosted the 1950 FIBA World Championship, the final phase of the 1990 Basketball World Championship[7] and the 1976 Basketball Intercontinental Cup in which Real Madrid won the competition.[8]

The arena also hosted the Six Days of Buenos Aires cycle race.

History

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Buenos Aires was inhabited by thousands of immigrants from Europe. Additionally, there was an abundance of tourist from the Americas. In 1910, Italian merchant Domingo Pace built Luna Park, an open street fair in the heart of the city. By the 1920s, the amusement park became the playground of the aristocrats and wealthy in Argentina. With the change of scenery, the park began to decline and by 1929, many of the rides were abandoned.

In 1931, Ismael Pace (son of Domingo) and boxing legend Jose Pepe Lectoure purchased land from the city.[9] With the decline of Luna Park, Pace envisioned creating a sports arena in the likes of Madison Square Garden and the Berliner Sportpalast. Before opening in 1932, the arena went through three names: Estadio de Corrientes y Bouchard, Catedral del Boxeo then Palacio de los Deportes before settling on Estadio Luna Park (in remembrance of the now torn down amusement park).

Opening February 1932 as an opening air venue and carnival. The arena hosted a boxing match every Saturday, with first match being held on 5 March 1932. At this time, the arena could sit 22,000 spectators. During the off season, the arena ran rampant with the homeless, causing the venue to become an enclosed space in 1934. During the Second World War, the arena became the site of many Nazi and Fascist rallies. In 1944, during a charity event, Eva Duarte and Juan Perón met for the first time.

In the 1950s, the arena began to decline. Lectoure and Pace were pressured by the city to seek better revenue. In 1951, renovations began for the arena in the style of Art Deco, substantially, the capacity of the arena was reduced. Before construction ended, Pace and Lectoure died. Ownership of the venue was given to Lectoure's son, Juan Carlos Lectoure. Known as Tito, he convert the arena into the site for concerts and it became a major venue for the Argentine rock scene.[10]

In 2007, the arena was declared a Monumento Histórico Nacional.[11] After 80 years, the Lectoure family no longer owned the historic venue. After the death of Tito's wife, Ernestina Devecchi de Lectoure (in 2013), ownership of the arena was transferred to Sociedad Salesiana de San Juan Bosco y a Cáritas Argentina.[12]

Recordings

Principal concerts

Other artists that have performed at Luna Park include: Blue Man Group, Harlem Globetrotters, other events include Diego Maradona's wedding (1989) and the funerals of Carlos Gardel (1935), Julio Sosa (1964) and Ringo Bonavena (1976).

References

  1. "Entrada Ticket Boxeo Luna Park / Locche Vs Heair / Año 1975 - $ 200,00". mercadolibre.com.ar. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  2. http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-535685648-entrada-ticket-boxeo-luna-park-corro-vs-ronnie-harris-1978-,
  3. "Entrada Ticket Boxeo Luna Park / Laciar Vs Ibarra / 1981 - $ 250,00". mercadolibre.com.ar. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  4. "Carlos Monzon vs. Tony Mundine - BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  5. "Omar Andres Narvaez vs. William Urina - BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  6. "BoxRec - event". boxrec.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  7. "El Mundo en Orbyt - Suscripción digital online.". elmundo.es. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  8. "Intercontinental Cup 1976". linguasport.com. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. "Adios, Tito" [Goodbye, Tito]. Gente. 2 March 2002. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  10. Herrera, Sebastián (15 February 2011). "Luna Park: el Palacio de los Deportes" [Luna Park: the Palacio de los Deportes]. Eterna Buenos Aires. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  11. "Murió "Tito" Lectoure, el alma del Luna Park" [He died, "Tito" Lectoure, the soul of Luna Park]. La Nación. 3 January 2003. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  12. "El Luna Park pasó a manos de la Iglesia" [Luna Park was handed to the Church]. Perfil. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
Preceded by
None
FIBA Basketball World Cup
Venue

1950
Succeeded by
Ginásio do Maracanãzinho
Rio de Janeiro
Preceded by
None
Pan American Games Basketball Tournament
Venue

1951
Succeeded by
National Auditorium
Mexico City
Preceded by
Palasport Pianella
Cucciago, Cantù
FIBA Intercontinental Cup
Final Venue

1976
Succeeded by
Pabellón de la Ciudad Deportiva
Madrid
Preceded by
Palazzo dello Sport
Rome
FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship
Final Venue

1982
Succeeded by
Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Paris
Preceded by
Palacio de Deportes de la CAM
Madrid
FIBA Basketball World Cup
Final Venue

1990
Succeeded by
SkyDome
Toronto
Preceded by
Yoyogi National Gymnasium
Tokyo
FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship
Final Venue

2002
Succeeded by
Yoyogi National Gymnasium
Tokyo
Preceded by
University Sports Hall
Wuppertal
Artistic Skating World Championship
Venue

2003
Succeeded by
Fresno Convention Center
Fresno

Coordinates: 34°36′08″S 58°22′07″W / 34.60222°S 58.36861°W / -34.60222; -58.36861

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