Barcelona has seen many of its iconic nightclubs close in recent years. Among the emblematic venues that closed their doors is the Sala Tango, belonging to the Arena Group, which had to say goodbye to its loyal fans in November 2020.
Located at 94 Diputació Street, Sala Tango was a landmark venue in Barcelona’s Eixample and was known for attracting a diverse audience, particularly the LGTBI public on weekends.
The closure of the venue was due to several factors, including pandemic restrictions that severely affected the nightlife industry, the high cost of rent and operating expenses.
Rumors of the reopening of the Tango Room
After years of uncertainty and with the venue closed, rumors about its possible reopening began to circulate in the Nova Esquerra del Eixample, the neighborhood where Sala Tango is located.
Some neighbors feared that the space would become the Brisas Room, a troubled nightclub linked to violent incidents and murders, which had also recently closed.
However, the owner of well-known venues in Barcelona, such as Tunnel Casanova, Francisco Marín, denied these rumors and stated that he was behind the renovations in the former Sala Tango space.
Marín intended to open a completely different nightclub at the site, moving away from the style of the previous venue. However, a problem related to the licensing of the premises brought the project to a complete halt.
Marcos Antonio García, director of the Arena Group to which Sala Tango belongs, is committed to reopening this iconic venue and allowing the LGTBI public to once again enjoy one of the most historic venues of Barcelona’s nightlife scene.
One of the main obstacles has been the licensing of the premises, since although the license is in Garcia’s name, the ownership of the room belongs to an investment law firm. This conflict has complicated the negotiation with the property.
Garcia has explained that ownership attempted to open a grocery store in the space after vacating the Tango Room, but this plan did not materialize. The nightlife businessman insists that, if one wishes to open a discotheque in that place, it must be with the Arena Group, since they hold the license.
Negotiations are underway
Grupo Arena is in a negotiation stage with the property of the venue to achieve the reopening of the Tango Room, although so far it has not been an easy task.
They have sent proposals months ago, but have yet to receive a definitive response from the property. The Sala Tango has more than 36 years of history.
