Costa Rica’s National Stadium opens with major events

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If you’re in Costa Rica this week, check out the schedule of events to celebrate the opening of the long-awaited all-new National Stadium, in San José’s Sabana Park.

The stadium, at the west end of the park, has been in the making for three years, ever since China promised to fund and build a replacement to the creaky old eyes-sore that existed before. What was in it for China, you ask? Well, one of Costa Rica’s prime benefactors used to be Taiwan, which funded construction of the 780-meter-long Puente de Amistad con Taiwan (Friendship with Taiwan Bridge), which opened in 2003 across the Tempisque River. China, no doubt, sought to undercut Taiwan’s sway (the former regards the latter as a renegade province).

Thus, Chinese construction workers were flown in to build the $100 million, 35,000-seat stadium, toiling away 24/7 in three day shifts. The ground-breaking was held on March 12, 2009.

The state-of-the-art triple-tier stadium, with is aerodynamic styling and retractable roof, and two mammoth TV screens, opened only four months behind schedule – a record in notoriously behind-schedule Costa Rica.

The official opening kicked-off last Saturday at 6 pm, with 35,000 soccer fans and a star-studded cast of Costa Rican and Chinese politicos in attendance.

Fireworks exploded overhead. Attendees were treated to the to-be-expected binational displays by Chinese and Costa Rican musicians and dancers. And two Costa Rican presidents gave speeches.

Many Costa Ricans booed when former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias rose to speak about the significance of the inauguration and of Costa Rica’s relationship with China. It was Arias who in 2007 dumped long-term benefactor Taiwan in favor of its far wealthier and more powerful neighbor, prompting many locals to nickname Puente de Amistad con Taiwan as Puente de la Apuñalada (Back stab Bridge).

Sensibly, Arias – who called the bridge the “Jewel of La Sabana” – didn’t sidestep the issue. “Countries have to grow and mature,” he said, explaining his perfectly intelligent and logical decision to switch sides. “And so, like a mother understands that her son can’t wear the same shoes that he was wearing 10 years ago, we should accept that there is clothing that we shouldn’t continue to wear. Sooner or later all countries have to wear long pants.”

Current Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla (an Arias protégé) seconded Arias and also trumpeted the benefits of the new relationship. “This impressive stadium in La Sabana stands... as recognition for former President Arias, and above all, as the reason to assume as a nation the responsibility to grow to the height of this modern coliseum.”

Then everyone settled back to watch a soccer game between the two nations that ended in a 2-2 draw. The fans apparently left the stadium and surrounding streets strewn with trash – some 50 tons of it, according to San José municipal officials. The fans were only partly to blame, however. Although I have a zero tolerance policy to littering, I’ll cut them some slack, as the architects and planners reportedly forgot to build in trash receptacles.

The list of major events will continue through April 10, when Colombian pop star Shakira will perform.

Learn more about Christopher P. Baker.

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Copyright © Christopher P. Baker