AP: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

Twelve years after it was cancelled by local government officials, the popular and nationally recognized running of the bulls in San Miguel de Allende, also known as Sanmiguelada, has found a new home in the defunct shopping center Plaza Real del Conde. The site is the former location of supermarket giant Gigante, GNC, and Gemelis Cinemas.

“It couldn’t be a better fit,” said Plaza Real del Conde owner and manager Luis Ferro at a joint news conference on Monday with San Miguel de Allende Mayor Luis Alberto Villarreal and Sanmiguelada organizer Julian Cartas of Pena Taurina. “It’s a win-win-win situation for the organizers of Sanmiguelada who needed a new location, the city government who needed to move it out of the Historic Centro in order to qualify for UNESCO World Heritage status, and for the small shop owners who took a big hit when Gigante moved out of the Plaza and reopened as Super Gigante in the newer Plaza La Luciernaga.”

Correa added, “We’re still in shock! This is the best thing that could’ve happened to us. We’ve already applied for our beer permit,” proclaimed Alicia Gonzales, owner of Tres Reyes Pasteleria, a cake shop that has been struggling to survive in Plaza Real del Conde for over three years. “We’ll be able to make a year’s revenue in only one day just from the beer and pizza sales alone – thanks to God and the bulls!”

Mayor Villarreal stated that the city will have no jurisdiction over the Sanmiguelada because it will be hosted on private property that is located significantly outside of Historic Centro and that the organizers will be paying the city government for use of traffic and police officers to manage the additional flow of people and vehicles near the Plaza and the glorieta.

Ferro outlined for the press how the facility will be used for the September event. “The bulls will enter from the Tianguis side down an existing handicap ramp, proceed through the corridors that run the length of the mall and be rustled back into the trucks at the other far end of the mall. Spectators will be able to view the bulls from the railings of the second level of the mall. Revelers and runners will be able to line the corridors of the lower level of the mall.” When asked about safety for the runners, Julian Cartas, senior official of Pena Taurina, which has organized the thirty-year event, explained that there would be four Red Cross stations set up in existing vendor locations along the path of the bulls on the first level. “No one who is injured should have to be escorted any farther than a few meters for medical care.”

Cartas also speculated on admissions fees, stating that they would be officially announced within the week. “We’re thinking in terms of a $200 peso entrance fee for runners, $1,000 peso admission fee for spectators, $300 pesos for parking in the mall lot, $150 pesos for parking in the dirt lot across from the mall. We don’t know what the Tianguis or Plaza La Luciernaga lots will charge for parking or campers.” Closed circuit cameras will line the path of the bulls and the coverage will be able to be viewed by the less adventurous on the screens of the air-conditioned cinemas inside the mall. “We’ll probably charge an additional admission of $500 pesos to enter the cinemas as there will be a black-out of coverage on the local cable television” said Ferro who also explained that Plaza Real del Conde would be renting one-day-only vendor spaces on both the first and second levels of the mall with an additional food court occupying the old Gigante space.

For added comfort and safety, organizers stated that over two-hundred porta potty units have already been reserved for the event. Only canned and draft beer will be available for purchase in order to alleviate the occurrence of broken glass. “We are very excited to know that the Sanmiguelada will continue its revered legacy and in a most comfortable and safe venue. Long live San Miguel and the bulls!” Ferro concluded.

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