An impressive 37m wide and 18m tall, the dome at Marbella Arena - the old bullring - sets the record as the biggest in Europe. Seeking to provide a truly unique and innovative event venue, the dome was built to create an avant-garde space for corporate, cultural and entertainment events in the Costa del Sol. We had the pleasure of interviewing Jorge Martín, Operations Director at Marbella Arena, about the dome. Here’s what he had to say.
What sort of innovations can we expect to see at the dome?
By setting up the dome, which is the largest in Europe, from October to April every year, we are seeking to offer much more than an event venue in the Costa del Sol with capacity for over 1,000 people. Indeed, we are striving to create a truly one-of-a-kind and innovative space - unlike anything ever seen before - not only in terms of its appearance, but also in terms of the boundless opportunities the 37m wide and 18m tall space has to offer.
Guests can enjoy a fully immersive and interactive experience thanks to 360 full-dome projection mapping technology paired with 3D surround sound, real time content generation, and virtual and augmented reality. We can thus say that the Marbella Arena dome is the only event venue of its kind, making it ideal for spectacular conferences, congresses, conventions, presentations, concerts, shows, exhibitions and much, much more.
Source: Marbella arena
What technologies does the venue have?
One of the stand-out features of the dome and Marbella Arena is its versatility. All types of events can be held here as we have the resources and technologies to cater to every need. We work with partners that have extensive experience in providing technical and projection equipment so that every client achieves what they set out to.
Marbella Arena therefore hosts, in inverted commas, “simpler” events with regards to sound, lighting and screening needs. But we also put on ambitious events which feature 360 full-dome bespoke projections, presentations screened onto the dome instead of onto a screen, laser effects, augmented reality and much more. In sum, at Marbella Arena, we tailor the venue and technologies to each and every event to make sure the client’s vision is realised and that the event is always a resounding success.
What makes Marbella Arena dome stand out from other event venues?
As I mentioned before, the dome is much more than an event venue with capacity for large numbers of people or a marquee with an impressive surface area of 1,100m2. Marbella Arena is much more than all of this, as you can see in the photos. There is no other venue, at least in the Costa del Sol, Andalusia or Spain, that is anything like it. The dome is the largest of its kind in Europe and sits in what used to be the Puerto Banús bullring, now known as Marbella Arena, a corporate, cultural and entertainment event venue that has beautifully preserved the features of the iconic building, giving the venue - and its dome - a unique quality that you won’t find anywhere else.
And all this is paired with the many new technologies that can be set up in the dome, creating an unparalleled venue. These benefits that are noted and appreciated by anyone interested in holding their event at Marbella Arena.
Source: Marbella arena
What sort of events are suited to the venue?
In terms of the events that can be held at the dome, we don’t focus on the specific event type, but rather turn our attention to whether an event is in line with the Marbella Arena vision and the venue’s positioning. Since November, when we set up the dome for the first time, we have put on a wide variety of event types, ranging from corporate and private events to concerts, theatre and much more.
The dome lends itself to events that are smaller in scale (compared to the maximum capacity of Marbella Arena, which is over 5,300) and in search of a unique venue with innovative technologies as well as a certain level of exclusivity. We view these considerations to be largely in line with corporate events.
Which events have been held in the dome since its recent inauguration? And what’s on the programme for this year?
The pandemic shut down the events sector and the ripple effect is still being felt. The dome was opened in this context. That said, at Marbella Arena we have recently hosted countless and varied types of events that showcase the versatility of the venue. There have been concerts, namely Niña Pastori, Loquillo and The Elton John Experience with the Malaga Symphony Orchestra. There’s also been comedy including Dani Rovira & Tomás García and El Comandante Lara & Cía. Theatre including the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland musical. Sports such as the European Boxing Championship. Private and social events such as the Global Gift Gala. Corporate events such as Gastroarte Andalucía. And that’s just the start.
Source: Marbella Arena
In 2022, we will continue to work in the shadow of the pandemic and the uncertainty that this implies for event organisers. We are, nevertheless, receiving large numbers of requests from companies, agencies and promoters who are interested in making Marbella Arena the venue for their event. As a general trend, companies, agencies and DMCs are keen on the dome whereas music promoters, large-scale event organisers and more are interested in the venue without the dome. 2022 and beyond therefore looks great for Marbella Arena and you can expect to see a varied programme of events running all year round.
Want to hold your event or conference in one of the most luxurious destinations in the world? Marbella offers a wide range of professional, cultural and entertainment experiences and is renowned for its hospitality and ability to host visitors from all over the world. Marbella therefore excels as an international destination for conventions, congresses, product launches and trade fairs.
