Schmick venue plans for Spain Fernando Buesa Arena

Article posted by Coliseum, July 27^th, 2026

Image: Grupo Baskonia

The prominent Spanish sports management conglomerate Baskonia Alavés Group recently presented a new phase of the Ondare Project, the strategic growth plan promoted by the group to strengthen its competitiveness, consolidate its roots in the territory and project Araba (province in Northern Spain) at a national and international level through sport, education, health, entertainment, and knowledge.

Strategic Step

The new phase of the plan includes the proposed acquisition of the Fernando Buesa Arena complex and its surrounding area as a strategic step to provide the project with the necessary tools for continued growth. The whole development objective is to transform the Fernando Buesa Arena into an avant-garde facility, expand its use, generate economic activity, and make it an internationally renowned venue.

The 15,716-seat Fernando Buesa Arena is an indoor sports arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. It is primarily used for basketball and is the home arena of the professional basketball team Saski Baskonia who plays in the Liga ACB, the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system.

‘baskonia.com’ stated that Josean Querejeta, President of the Baskonia Alavés Group, and Ramiro González, General Deputy of Álava-Araba, presented the project that will allow Araba to consolidate itself as an international reference for sport, education, health, and entertainment.

The Baskonia Alavés Group is a prominent Spanish sports management conglomerate based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country (Spain). Founded in 2011, it is a multiclub ownership group that operates professional football and basketball franchises alongside international academies, event management and sports tech innovation.

Ondare Project

The Ondare Project (derived from the Basque word for ‘legacy’) is a massive, city-wide sports and infrastructure initiative based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Led by the Baskonia-Alavés Group the project is aimed at transforming the city into a global hub for sports, education, healthcare, and innovation.

Project Evolution

‘baskonia.com’ further stated that the above event was graced by Josean Querejeta, President of the Baskonia Alavés Group, and Ramiro González, General Deputy of Álava, in an institutional presentation that reviewed the evolution of the project since its launch in December 2024, the milestones already achieved and the main lines of development planned for the coming years.

The Saski Baskonia and the LaLiga team Deportivo Alavés have established themselves as a major sporting, social and economic assets in the region. The proposed acquisition of the Fernando Buesa Arena is precisely in line with the goal to bring about a 360-degree change to the arena so that it continues to resonate with the fans.

Hub of Activities

Remarked Ramiro González, Deputy General, Álava-Araba, “The Fernando Buesa Arena has hosted major sporting acts, international events and have left an indelible mark in the minds of the fans. Now, the time has come for the arena to take another leap forward. The Fernando Buesa Arena will become a hub for year-round activities apart from just holding basketball games. The full potential of the venue will be unlocked.”

Schmick Venue

Added Josean Querejeta, President, Baskonia Alavés Group, “The aim is to make the Buesa Arena a spiffy international venue which will be open 365 days a year and will rake in the revenue and attract major acts.”

Ondare Project

The Ondare Project is now a reality. An ecosystem has been established around the Buesa Arena comprising EUNEIZ, BAKH, Ondare Residencia, and the Baskonia Alavés Academy. These elements are already generating employment and attracting talent.

EUNEIZ

EUNEIZ has established itself as a university campus specializing in health, sports, management, and technology with 804 students enrolling in the 2025-2026 academic year and a projected growth of over 1,000 students in the 2026-2027 academic year.

BAKH

BAKH, for its part, already has 7,500 members and a growth trajectory towards 8,000 users thus consolidating itself as a leading sports facility for physical activity, well-being, high performance, and is the connection between elite sport and the public.

Ondare Residencia

Ondare Residencia is a modern, 7,500-square-meter student and sports complex in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. It is fully occupied responding to a growing demand for accommodation for the students, the athletes, the technicians, the teachers, and the professionals linked to the project ecosystem.

Growth Plan

Ondare’s new growth plan anticipates an investment of €153 million which would be added to the more than €100 million already invested by the Baskonia Alavés Group in the surrounding area and in the various components of the project. In total, this would bring the cumulative investment to over €253 million thus solidifying one of the largest investments in sports, education, health, and entertainment ever made in Álava.

Business Ecosystem

The planned development of the Ondare Project would generate 345 new jobs bringing the total to 1,195 positions linked to the group and its business ecosystem. Furthermore, the annual economic activity associated with the project would increase from the current €152 million to €205.8 million, a projected rise of €53.8 million. It will also help to establish the Buesa Arena as a year-round multipurpose venue.

More than a Sports Arena

The Fernando Buesa Arena has been much more than just a sports arena for decades. It has been the home of Saski Baskonia, the stage for some of the greatest nights in European basketball and a reference point for Vitoria-Gasteiz and Álava-Araba. The total transformation of the stadium will help meet the evolving demands of sport and entertainment.

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