According to Sport, residents from two districts in Seville have formed a platform called "Flooded Neighborhoods" to oppose Real Betis and Sevilla's new stadium projects.
The platform's organizers stated in a declaration that these stadiums have been continuously expanded with new commercial and tertiary sector functions in recent years, transforming the surrounding neighborhoods into "highly congested urban environments."
They argue that this "American model"—aimed at operating sports facilities around the clock with added commercial uses—is incompatible with protecting residents' quality of life. The platform has received support from residents' associations in Los Bermejales, Pedro Salvador, Zona Sur, Siete Calles, Reina Mercedes, Elcano, Ciudad Jardín, Gran Plaza, La Buhaira, and Jardines de Santa Teresa, as well as from Sevilla Este, Parque Guadaira, Puerto de Sevilla, Bermejales Activa, and Foro Heliópolis.
The platform is open to all associations, parent-teacher associations, social groups, community businesses, and residents. It aims to work with municipal representatives to address their concerns and will pursue all legal avenues to prevent implementation of a model that severely impacts quality of life. An ecological action group has already challenged the new Benito Villamarín stadium project in court.
New Benito Villamarín and Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadiums will bring "congestion, noise, and stress"
Residents believe the two stadiums will result in increased noise, trash, traffic, congested streets, parking difficulties, security risks, and stress levels that clearly affect rest and health. They contend this area is already under significant pressure and will become overwhelmed with continuous activity.
The residents emphasized they are "not against football clubs or stadium renovations," but demand that projects be "balanced, transparent, and respectful of the urban environment." They insist that land and spaces involved should "benefit residents living here, retaining open space characteristics and strengthening public use" rather than serving only large corporations or events.
Residents Oppose Real Betis and Sevilla Projects
The resident associations believe these projects, "packaged as urban improvement initiatives, are merely rhetoric disguised with attractive rhetoric, empty beyond their appearance on paper." They cite the following concerns:
The organizations argue that the clubs' proposals, "with support from the Seville City Council," involve converting parks and open spaces into thousands of square meters of commercial, hotel, and other tertiary uses while compromising fan safety and worsening existing traffic, air quality, and noise pollution. Both projects represent "extremely lucrative windfalls" for the clubs but offer poor value for the city, retail businesses, and especially residents.
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