The long awaited restoration of the Principal Theatre in Alicante hinges on a written commitment from Banco Sabadell, one of the three owners of the venue alongside the Valencian Government and the City of Alicante. The pledge would ensure that the one and a half million euros Sabadell received when the Generalitat joined the theatre’s ownership in 2018, plus the one and a half million already allocated to the project by the City, are earmarked specifically for the theatre renovation. The building has endured structural deficiencies for more than ten years, and a clear use of funds is a critical prerequisite for moving forward.
The Culture Councillor, Nayma Beldjilali, trusts that the bank will provide that commitment within a few weeks, as requested by the City Council’s Intervention Service to allow the combined three million euros to be released for rehabilitation. She noted that the city’s share is already freed, and what remains is the bank’s written guarantee that the money will be dedicated to the theatre renovation and not diverted to other purposes. These remarks were made during the presentation of the International Festival of Classical Theatre in Alicante.
In the latest Governing Council meeting of the Theatre Owners Association, held in December of the previous year, it was agreed that the commitment would be issued and that progress would be announced soon. Beldjilali emphasized the strong alignment and good rapport with the financial institution as important positives in the process.
The procurement plan is nearly ready. Once the funds are released, the next step would be to bid the project. After the bidding, construction would begin in 2025 with the project design and, ideally, some preparatory work before the summer. The goal is to complete interior improvements during the summer so that upcoming performances and the season experiences minimal disruption.
The interior needs are substantial. Replacing the seating and the flooring, upgrading the stage floor and the basic stage infrastructure, and modernizing the electrical installations are among the most urgent tasks. The exterior facade shows wear that also requires attention, signaling a comprehensive renovation that covers both the inside and outside of the theatre.