| Estadio Luna Park | |
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 Aerial view of the venue in 2016 | |
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| Former names | Estadio de Corrientes y Bouchard(planning/construction) |
|---|---|
| Address | Avenida Madero 420 C1106ABE Buenos Aires Argentina |
| Coordinates | 34°36′08″S58°22′07″W / 34.60222°S 58.36861°W /-34.60222; -58.36861 |
| Public transit |  atLeandro N. Alem atCorreo Central |
| Owner | Salesians of Don Bosco Cáritas Argentina (50% each)[1][2] |
| Operator | Time For Fun |
| Type | Arena |
| Capacity | 8,400[3] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1931 |
| Opened | 6 February 1932; 93 years ago (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 | |
| lunapark.com.ar | |
Estadio Luna Park (commonly known asLuna Park) is a multi-purposearena inBuenos Aires. Located at the corner ofAvenida Corrientes and Avenida Bouchard; in theSan Nicolás neighborhood. Initially, the arena primarily hostedboxing and other sporting events. In the 1950s, it was expanded to host stage shows and concerts.
The stadium has hosted countless internationally famous personalities, includingPope John Paul II, severalballets,tennis andvolleyball matches, world championship and important non-championship boxing fights involvingNicolino Locche,[4]Hugo Corro,[5]Santos Laciar,[6]Carlos Monzón,[7]Omar Narvaez,[8]Juan Roldán,Julio César Vásquez[9] and many other famous boxers, circuses, theHarlem Globetrotters,Holiday on Ice and many more.
The arena also hosted the1950 FIBA World Championship, the final phase of the1990Basketball World Championship[10] and the 1976Basketball Intercontinental Cup in whichReal Madrid won the competition.[11]
The arena also hosted theSix Days of Buenos Aires cycle race.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Buenos Aires was inhabited by thousands of immigrants from Europe. Additionally, there was an abundance of tourists from throughout theAmericas. In 1910, Italian merchant Domingo Pace builtLuna 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.[12] With the decline of Luna Park, Pace envisioned creating a sports arena in the likes ofMadison Square Garden and theBerlin 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).
The arena opened in February 1932 as an open-air venue and carnival. Early on, the arena hosted a boxing match every Saturday, with the 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 manyNazi andFascist rallies. In 1944, during a charity event to benefit the victims ofan earthquake in San Juan,Eva Duarte andJuan 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 ofArt 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 converted the arena into the site for concerts and it became a major venue for the Argentine rock scene.[13]
In 2007, the arena was declared a National Historic Monument.[14] After the death of Tito Lectoure's aunt, Ernestina Devecchi de Lectoure (in 2013), ownership of the arena was transferred to the Argentine branches ofSalesians of Don Bosco andCaritas Internationalis,[1] according to what she previously stated in her will.[15] The Salesians Society and Caritas own a 50% each of the arena.[2]
'Other artists that have performed at Luna Park include:Blue Man Group,Harlem Globetrotters, other events includeDiego Maradona's wedding (1989) and the funerals ofCarlos Gardel (1935),Julio Sosa (1964) andRingo Bonavena (1976).
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None | FIBA Basketball World Cup Venue 1950 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by None | Pan American Games Basketball Tournament Venue 1951 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | FIBA Intercontinental Cup Final Venue 1976 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Final Venue 1982 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | FIBA Basketball World Cup Final Venue 1990 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Final Venue 2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by University Sports Hall Wuppertal | Artistic Skating World Championship Venue 2003 | Succeeded by Fresno Convention Center Fresno |
Pan American Games venues in basketball | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
