Owners of Real Madrids stadium to face court over concert sound issues
A local residents group is suing the operators of Real Madrids soccer ground in court because of excessive noise from music events, based on a legal filing reviewed by AFP last Thursday.
The group wants to safeguard its members living conditions against the harmful effects of the Santiago Bernabeu overhaul and its shift to hosting music shows and various gatherings, rather than solely Real Madrids matches.
Prominent performances, such as those by US pop icon Taylor Swift in 2024, annoyed people in the upscale Chamartin area north of Madrid as they exceeded allowed sound thresholds.
The residents group submitted a formal charge against the Real Madrid Estadio firm and a magistrate has ruled the matter will advance to trial.
"Signs point to actions that could qualify as an offence against the surroundings, manifested as acoustic disturbance," the magistrate noted in a January 15 legal paper obtained by AFP.
The group pursuing the action asserts that these sound breaches present a serious risk to local peoples health.
The charge also implicates Real Madrid executive Jose Angel Sanchez, close advisor to club head Florentino Perez, given his role managing Real Madrid Estadio.
Real Madrid transformed the Santiago Bernabeu, relaunching it in 2023 for about 1.5 billion euros (1.75 billion dollars), intending to establish it as a continuous entertainment venue.
That said, starting in September 2024, they initiated delays or scrapping of performances amid objections from nearby dwellers.
The residents group maintains the ground lacks sufficient noise isolation and its strong audio systems fail to meet sound limits.
The group claims the club recognised the inadequate isolation prior to offering the site to third party organisers for the occasions, halting only after facing judicial demands.
From September 2024 onwards, several music events first slated for the Santiago Bernabeu have been moved to the Metropolitano ground, base of Real Madrids city foes Atletico Madrid, located on the city edge distant from housing zones.