Andorra to fund half of Espai Capital fair venue with €11m cap

The government and the Comú of Andorra la Vella have reached an agreement to make the Espai Capital a jointly owned venue, with the executive contributing half the financing up to a maximum of €11 million. The deal, announced by head of government Xavier Espot and Cònsol major Sergi González at the opening of the 47th Fira d'Andorra la Vella, follows months of negotiation.

Espot stressed the distinction between subsidising and owning the project, saying the two administrations would be co-proprietors rather than simply funders. An amendment to the budget will be tabled through the majority parliamentary group next week to include the necessary credits.

González said the preliminary project is complete and that works are scheduled to begin at the end of 2027, though the aim is to bring the start forward as far as possible. Once underway, construction is expected to take between 24 and 32 months. He acknowledged that the original concept had envisaged a much faster build of eight to twelve months, and that last year's target of opening in 2027 had been revised once the full scope of the project was assessed.

The final cost has not been specified, as the definitive project has yet to be completed and incorporates changes from the preliminary version. On management, the Comú plans to tender the operation of the venue to a private operator, and González said a body bringing together the government, that operator, Andorra Turisme and the Comú would likely be created to run the fair space. Espot declined to give further details, noting that a meeting in November will address joint projects and is expected to clarify how the venue will operate.

The head of government said the multifunctional venue serves both the parish and the country, providing a permanent home for the fair and helping to reduce seasonality and improve the tourism offer. He also said the investment would save the annual costs of renting and installing the Cirque du Soleil tent and the structure used for the fair itself.

The fair itself brings together 200 exhibitors, 13 of them first-time participants. González described it as a traditional meeting point for business activity, citing the strong performance of the automotive sector last year.