The Board of the Lleida Fair has given the green light to the terms of the competition that will define the future fairgrounds on the grounds of the former Hípica. The decision marks the formal start of a process that will radically transform the city's exhibition infrastructure.
One hundred million to double the space
The total estimated investment for this operation amounts to one hundred million euros while the drafting of the initial project is valued at one million. This budget will allow the execution of a work that will change the urban physiognomy of the western area of the capital of Segrià.
The new site will triple the available surface area, going from the current 45,000 square meters to 116,000. Of this total figure, 27,000 meters will be covered, which will facilitate the holding of events throughout the year without depending on weather conditions.
It is foreseen that within four years the urban planning of the space and the first of the five new pavilions planned will be ready. This chronology demands rigorous execution of the phases established by the governing body.
Two phases to select the project
The ideas competition will work through a system of two well-differentiated stages. The first will consist of the accreditation of economic solvency to filter and select the five best participating companies.
The finalists will have nine months for the definitive drafting of the project. This period includes the technical development necessary to comply with the urbanistic and functional requirements demanded by the city council.
The mayor of Lleida Fèlix Larrosa underlined the need to correctly integrate the Seròs canal into the final design. The architects will have to decide whether to bury it or incorporate it as a landscape element of the new fairground.
"The designs must provide access to the underground parking facility in the new pavilions and connection with the Llotja" - Fèlix Larrosa, mayor of Lleida
The financing of the work has solid guarantees through the Catalan Finance Institute. In addition, the amortization of the current fairgrounds will be used to cover part of the costs associated with the relocation.
New uses for the current plot
The emptying of the current enclosure will free up urban land of high strategic value for the city. These lands will be mainly used for the construction of new homes and the expansion of the historic Camps Elisis.
This redistribution of public space seeks to improve connectivity between different green and residential areas. The urban development operation aims to balance the city's growth towards the west.
Larrosa assured that the new complex will serve as the second trade fair capital of Catalonia. The direct economic impact will translate into the creation of up to 400 jobs linked to logistics and services in the sector.
Change in General Management
The Board took advantage of the session to appoint Eduard Martín Lineros as general director. This professional will replace Oriol Oró, who has held the position for the last 18 years.
Martín Lineros is an engineer by profession and has experience as former director of the .CAT Foundation. He has also worked as a professor at the University of Lleida and at the Open University of Catalonia.
The entity presents solid numbers after closing the 2025 accounts with a positive balance of 735,810 euros. This favorable result is mainly due to the successful turnout of the Municipàlia fair.
"In the years 2024 and 2025, calculated biannually, the positive balance amounts to 255,000 euros" - Economic Report of the Fair
The institution is also finalizing an agreement with Fira 2000 to hold the Smart Rural congress. This strategic alliance reinforces Lleida's position as a benchmark in agricultural innovation and technology applied to the rural world.