Bullring by the Sea, First-class bullring in Playas de Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico.
The Plaza Monumental de Playas de Tijuana is a brutalist concrete bullring with a capacity of 22,000, located in the Playas de Tijuana district, 60 meters from the Mexico–United States border and one block from the Pacific Ocean. Its circular stepped seating surrounds a central sand ring, and the structure incorporates seismic reinforcements considered innovative at the time. A parking lot holds 300 vehicles.
The arena opened in 1960 and was constructed in just 90 days using prefabricated concrete blocks manufactured in San Diego and assembled on site. This rapid building method was unusual for that era and made it a notable engineering achievement for the region.
The name comes from the Playas de Tijuana neighbourhood, and the arena is also called the Bullring by the Sea for its spot one block from the Pacific. A statue of Rodolfo Gaona, who sponsored the 1960 opening fight, stands at the ticket-office entrance. The ring has hosted boxing, concerts and the 1968 Tijuana Pop Festival.
The venue sits near the ocean and the United States border with ample parking and basic amenities available for visitors. Those attending events should expect large crowds, as the space regularly draws thousands of people from both sides of the border.
The ring's construction took only 90 days: prefabricated blocks made in San Diego were assembled in Tijuana under a contract between owner Salvatore Hurtado and builder Raymundo Muzquiz Ayala. The site also hosted the Tijuana Pop Festival on 13 October 1968, where the Animals and Iron Butterfly never played; Roger B. Stovold called it "one of the biggest fiascos in pop festival history."
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