The America’s Cup to the Integration of the Port and the City
38th RETE Meeting in Barcelona

12 Giugno, 2024

The 38th edition of the RETE Meeting – Association for Collaboration between Ports and Cities – took place in Barcelona on 4 June 2024.
At the World Trade Center in Barcelona and with the collaboration of Port Vell (Port of Barcelona), the conference “The America’s Cup: the Challenge of Converting a Nautical Sporting Event into a Model of Port-City Integration” has addressed the topic of governance of international events, highlighting the importance of port-city integration and the transformative impact of the America’s Cup which, between August and October 2024, it will be housed around Port Vell and along the beach to Port Olímpic.

The edition of the America’s Cup which, between August and October 2024, will be housed in the Port Vell of Barcelona. (Source: Port de Barcelona).

The meeting was characterized by reflection and dialogue on how events can become opportunities for urban development, implementing the improvement of sustainability, the integration of innovation and community participation in the related projects.
The event has focused in fact on how nautical sporting events in general, and the America’s Cup in the specific case, can become not only occasions of transformation in the cities that host them, but also catalysts for port-city integration.
With 174 years of history, the America’s Cup is considered the third sporting event with the greatest economic impact for the host country, after the Olympic Games and the World Cup. Even in the case of Barcelona it could become a great event and an engine of change and development.

The meeting was attended by experts in port management, urban planning and institutional representatives, and was marked by presentations and discussion panels of considerable interest.

The opening of the program was carried out by: the President of the Port of Barcelona, Lluís Salvadó; the President of Puertos del Estado, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena; the President of RETE and the Port Authority of the Cádiz Bay, Teófila Martínez; and the first Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council, Laia Bonet.

Teófila Martínez, President of RETE and the Port Authority of Cádiz Bay ; Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, President of Puertos del Estado; Lluís Salvadó, President of the Port of Barcelona, ​​and Laia Bonet, first manager of the Alcaldía of the Ayuntamiento of Barcelona, during the opening of the 38th edition of the Encuentro de RETE.

Prominent experts and leaders in the sector have shared their perspectives and strategies to maximize in Barcelona the benefits of a large-scale event that simultaneously involves the urban and port context. Among them José Alberto Carbonell, General Director of the Port Authority of Barcelona, and Leslie Ryan, Director of the Copa América Event, who reported how the proposal made to the organization of the America’s Cup can contribute to leaving an important subsequent legacy in the city and its territory, being perfectly aligned with the principles of citizen integration in port spaces, as well as the promotion of public-private collaboration.

The session on “Challenges of governance of an international event”, moderated by Manuel Arana, Director of Planning and Development of Puertos del Estado, included the participation as speakers of: Albert Dalmau, Municipal Manager of Barcelona City Council; Leslie Ryan, Director of America’s Cup Event; Sergi Romera, Project Manager of the Copa América-Port de Barcelona Coordination Office.
David Pino, Director of the Port Vell Urban Planning Management of the Port Authority of Barcelona, has addressed the topic “The transformative impact of the America’s Cup in Port Vell: more integration, more citizen port”.

The final discussion on “The involvement of the environment in the context of the regatta”, moderated by José Luís Estrada, Director of PORTUS Magazine of RETE, and Partner-Director of Estrada Port Consulting, had the participation of: Ignasi Armengol, General Director of Barcelona Capital Náutica Foundation; Laia Claverol, Manager of the Economy and Economic Promotion Area of Barcelona City Council; Daniel Puig, Vice President of Barcelona Global.

The event concluded with a series of activities that allowed attendees to experience the progress and developments of the projects during a tour of Port Vell, which also included maritime visits to the bases of the participating teams and the America’s Cup Experience.

Map with general overview of the 2024 America’s Cup Race Village, in the Port Vell in Barcelona. (Source: Port de Barcelona).

Teófila Martínez, as president of RETE, has praised the organization of the event and the innovative vision it brings towards the urban and port future, stating that “the America’s Cup is not only a sporting event, but a platform to revitalize and reimagine our relationship with aquatic and urban spaces, showing a path towards sustainability and mutual benefit for our community and the environment. For this reason, for RETE it is a unique opportunity to study and reflect on the port-city integration models that will be launched on the occasion of its celebration”
The President also highlighted “The relevance of the event is a unique opportunity to demonstrate how international-class nautical sports activities can promote urban cohesion and economic development”. In fact, “These events not only valorize tourism and the economy, but also foster maritime culture and citizen pride, while promoting sustainability and environmental awareness.”


HEAD IMAGE | Panoramic view of the port of Barcelona and Port Vell in the centre. (Source: https://retedigital.org).



Article reference for citation:

Editorial Team of PORTUS. “The America's Cup to the Integration of the Port and the City. 38th RETE Meeting in Barcelona”. PORTUS | Port-City Relationship and Urban Waterfront Redevelopment, 47 (June 2024). RETE Publisher, Venice. ISSN 2282-5789.
URL: https://portusonline.org/the-americas-cup-to-the-integration-of-the-port-and-the-city-38th-rete-meeting-in-barcelona/

Editorial Team of PORTUS. “La Copa América a la integración del puerto y la ciudad. 38º Encuentro de RETE en Barcelona”. PORTUS | Port-City Relationship and Urban Waterfront Redevelopment, 47 (June 2024). RETE Publisher, Venice. ISSN 2282-5789.
URL: https://portusonline.org/the-americas-cup-to-the-integration-of-the-port-and-the-city-38th-rete-meeting-in-barcelona/



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