Wednesday 08 October 2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Costa
Ricans Wants The New Stadium
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María José
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Costa Ricans Wants The
New Stadium
The halting of the
construction of the new
national stadium has
given rise to anger by
many Costa Ricans
following the news
yesterday of a
Constitutional Court
decision to halt
construction of the new
stadium in the Parque La
Sabana, that was
supposed have begun next
month.
The Court decision
followed a "recurso de
amparo" by the former
ministro de Cultura,
Guido Sáenz, and a group
of eight other
individuals, who are
asking for an
environmental impact
study before the
megastructure is allowed
to be erected where the
old stadium, demolished
last month, stood.
The stadium, with a
capacity of 40.000,
double that of the old
stadium, and at a cost
of us$72 million dollars
donated by the
government of China, is
to stand in the place of
the old stadium that was
in use for the last 84
years.
Many Costa Ricans showed
their anger for halting
construction.
For his part, Costa
Rican president, Oscar
Arias, said he is not
tired, rather, fed up
and bored with all the
obstacles that everyone
places on everything.
"I am quite sure that
the Sala (Court) will
side with the thousands
of Costa Ricans who
yearn for 21st century
stadium, which we
deserve", said Arias.
Arias added Costa Ricans
desire a new stadium as
the old one was from the
1920's, although it was
remodelled in 1941,
Sáenz explained that his
motivation is not
political nor against
sports. "What I am
defending is to protect
a space that belongs to
the people. La Sabana is
for everyone", said
Sáenz.
Although Sáenz and his
friends that includes,
Juan José Sobrado, a
lawyer quoting their
action is based on the "Ley
de Protección del Parque
La Sabana", a law passed
in 2003 to protect the
Sabana park, are
convinced they are doing
the right thing, it was
difficult yesterday to
find a Costa Rican who
agreed with them.
Informal polls by the
local television
stations showed a high
percentage of Costa
Ricans want the stadium
to rise and that
demolishing the old
stadium was an mistake,
as Costa Rica may be
without a stadium for
some time, give the time
to resolve anything in
the country.
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An artist rendering of the
new Estadio Nacional, replacing the 84 year old
structure demolished last month and served the country
for decades. |
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