Madrid opens tender to revamp Parque de Atracciones after six decades without erasing its history
Madrid’s city council is launching a public competition for a new concession to modernize the Parque de Atracciones, add rides, improve accessibility and energy efficiency, while safeguarding the park’s historical essence and its 1927 wooden carousel.
A new chapter for the Casa de Campo icon
Madrid’s city council is preparing to publish the tender documents for the operation of the Parque de Atracciones in the coming weeks. The current concession, held by Parques Reunidos since 1967, expires on 27 September 2027, and the council wants a new operator to give the 60-year-old attraction a competitive boost. The winner will be required to modernize existing rides, build new ones, and commit to making the park fully inclusive through accessibility improvements and energy-efficiency measures.
The competition will give new impetus to this icon of Madrid and make it more competitive to increase its pull as a tourist and entertainment destination.
The entire investment – from new attractions to accessibility upgrades – must be financed by the concessionaire or third parties, with no cost falling on the city budget. The works are also barred from reducing the current area of green zones and free garden spaces.
The carousel protected by the tender
One of the most distinctive conditions in the new concession is the obligation to preserve and, if necessary, restore the Tiovivo, a handcrafted wooden carousel. Built in France in 1927, the art déco and modernist ride was bought by the park in 1968 from a Spanish fairground trader. It operates under a wooden pergola that shields it from the weather. In the new administrative clauses, the future operator must devote special attention to its conservation, maintenance and consolidation.
Six decades of gradual expansion
- Adjudication of the first concession to Parques Reunidos
- Official handover of the Casa de Campo site
- Parque de Atracciones opens to the public
- Concession extended by 24 years beyond the original 35-year term
- Extension to compensate for Covid shutdown (14 Mar–21 Jul 2020)
- Current Parques Reunidos concession expires
The park first opened its doors on 15 May 1968, after the city had handed over the land on 4 October 1967 under a 35-year concession. That term was extended by 24 years on 29 April 1992. A further, temporary extension was granted on 20 September 2023 to compensate for losses during the Covid closure between March and July 2020, pushing the final expiry to late September 2027. Five major renovations have already been carried out since opening, the first coming in the 1970s soon after launch.
What the winner must deliver
The bidding criteria prioritize the most advantageous proposal for the municipality. Operators must propose a package of mandatory investments that covers modernizing the site, adding attractions and improving energy efficiency. The council also wants accessibility improvements so that existing rides become inclusive for all visitors. Around one million people, mainly families with children aged 6 to 12 and teenagers aged 14 to 18, visit each year – most of them local residents.
Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida will announce the tender during the State of the City debate on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, where he will review his administration’s record and present projects for the final year of his mandate.
