Tivoli World, Amusement Park, Benalmadena

 

Tivoli World, Amusement Park, Benalmadena, Malaga

Tivoli World has been closed since August 2020 due to bankruptcy of its owners.

The amusement park Over 35 million people visited since it opened on 20th May 1972. It was constructed by the Danish businessman Bernt Olsen as the first and only amusement park on the Costa del Sol. It was named after the famous Tivoli Gardens park in Copenhagen. It was known for having several ferris wheels, the castle of terror, a free fall from 60 meters height, the Mysterious Ship and the Western village. and a large open air auditorium which featured top national and international artists.

In 1975 Tivoli became very popular. The arrival of democracy had a lot to do with it, singer Miguel Ríos recalls in a documentary film. He gave his first concert in Tivoli on the historic Rock'n Ríos tour. Other famous artists who performed at Tivoli were Montserrat Caballé, Raphael, Rafaella Carrá, James Brown, Demis Russos and Rocío Jurado and Isabel Pantoja.

Until the mid-90s, Tivoli lived its splendour, then it began a slow decline. Rafael Gómez of Sandokan says that he bought the park “not for the money”, but because “it made many families have a good time”, including his own. The explosion of the second phase of Operation Malaya in 2007, in which Gómez was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 111 million euro, put an end to everything.

Tivoli World closed in 2020 during the first (March to June) wave of the Coronavirus Pandemic and reopened in July and August 2020, closing at the end of the high season. The company that runs the park entered bankruptcy with debts of more than 11 million euros and is in full legal litigation. The judicial administrator, Juan Antonio Sánchez, confirms it. "It is quite likely that Tivoli will not reopen,".

Tivoli is a place that is still etched in the collective memory of many Malaga and Andalucia children of the 70s, 80s and 90s who visited either on school trips or with their parents on holiday.

Background to Tivoli problems

Tivoli's problems began when Cordoba businessman Rafael Gómez Sanchez acquired it in 2004. The sale was estimated at 30 million euros and included a large investment for general remodelling and creation of new attractions to be operated by Compañía Internacional de Parques y Artistas SA (Cipasa); another company owned by Gómez.

Further legal problems after Gomez's arrest in the Marbella Malaya operation and the economic crisis prompted him, in 2007, to sell assets valued at almost 600 million euros. The Tremón real estate group acquired several assets, including Tivoli world. The agreement established the takeover of Tivoli, then expected take place a few months after the deed of sale. This was never carried out.

Tremón started its own bankruptcy process in 2008 and a started a lawsuit against Cipasa for Tivoli World to be handed. In a long judicial case, the Torremolinos court and the Malaga Provincial Court agreed, but Gómez - on probation after entering prison in 2017 - took the case to the Supreme Court.

The bankruptcy administrator has now asked the judge who governs the Cipasa process for authorization to withdraw the case from the Supreme Court.

Judicial administrator Sánchez prepared a report on Tivoli that outlined the Cipasa debt of more than 11 million euros, of which almost 10 is owed to the Spanish Tax Agency and Social Security. He also analyzed the accounts of the only two months (July and August) that Tivoli was able to open in 2020 and, despite the drop in tourism and the health context, the income allowed to pay current expenses. "The park is viable, but in the long term its situation is very complicated due to the great existing debt," says  the administrator, who insists that after auditing Cipasa, his obligation is the orderly closure of the company and the delivery of the park to Tremon.

Employees are concerned  that Tremón seeks to speculate with the land to build houses. The 65,000 meters of plot is valuable in the heart of Benalmádena. To avoid speculation, the city council is worked with Junta Andalucia to modify the classification of the land to cultural and leisure facilities. "Our obligation is to protect Tivoli,"

The 'owners' Tremón have said that they are willing to open Tivili World as long as they are not liable for its historic debt. However in June 2021 the Commercial Court Number 1 of Malaga ruled out the opening of the Tivoli World amusement park while the dispute over its ownership remains. The court has indicated that neither they, nor the bankruptcy administrator of the premises, have the power to start up the facilities.

Iin October 2021 the Supreme Court ratified the judgement of the Provincial Court of Malaga which sentenced the company Cipasa to hand over the keys to the Tremón group, which it declared was the legitimate owner. The Supreme Court sent the ruling to the Court One of Torremolinos to inform both parties of their rights and obligations.

The Tivoli bankruptcy administrator has insisted from the beginning that it is a decision that the park owner must make and that, as long as the courts do not determine otherwise, the owner is the real estate group Tremón.

Meanwhile, a working group to discuss the future of Tivoli has been convened and meets ocassionally. It comprises of representitives of employees, Benalmádena Town Council, the Malaga Provincial Council (Diputación) and the Regional Government.

Many of the employees retured to the site on a voluntary basis in Autumn 2021. Tivoli had become overgrown and they removed the acumulated rubbish, cleared the weeds and undergrowth, and pruned the trees. This ammounted to over 100 lorry loads. They continue to be present providing essential security and maintenance services.

Following the normal process, in early 2022, the bankruptcy administrator applied to the Malaga Mercantile Court for an ERE (Expediente de regulación de empleo) to officially establish the redundancy terms of the employees. This is further complicted as old owners Cipesa had issued an ERE.

In April 2023 the Town Council completed the final step by unamimously voting for the motion to protect the land from residential development. The Tivoli land can only be used as a leisure park and other compatable and associated uses such such as a hotel and/or commercial ventures linked to the park. (See October 2024)

In May 2023 local elections the Partido Popular gained a majority of seats (13 of 25) and formed the first ever PP Town Council in Benalmadena. By late summer 2023 the situation was largely unchanged. Benelmadena Town Council has been keen to publisise their meetings with the employees. The worker request to the supreme court to anul the Cipesa ERE was rejected. The Supreme Court ruled that the Malaga Mercantil Court must establish this. The ERE is still awited from the Malaga Mercantile Court.

In October 2023 the Deputy Mayor of Benalmadena, Presi Aguilera, anounced that a foreign investment fund was 'very interested' in the park and that the Town Hall was mediating in the negotions between fund and the owners Tremón.

In November 2023 Benalmádena town hall commissioned a report to assess what works would be necessary to reopen the nearby Pueblosol 800-space underground car park, also owned by Tremón, which has been closed since 2017.

In February 2024, the workers decided not to appeal the court ruling that closed the door to their right compensation as ex-Tremón employees and which terminated their contracts. And despite this, a handful continue to take turns at Tivoli so that someone is watching Tivoli 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Some have slept the night there to avoid vandalism in the park, now they have organised security cameras which were instrumental in alerting to a break in by four youths on night in June 2024.

By summer 2024 the situation was unchanged. The legal case continues. Two creditors of the company that sold Tivoli have said (through their lawyer) that they believe that the purchase contract had many irregularities. They are now asking for it to be declared null and void and therefor its consequences to be reversed. Whether this takes Tivoli closer to opening again remains to be seen.

In August 2024 the left wing IU party will present a motion at the next Benalmadena Council meeting for the Town Hall to initiate the expropriation of Tívoli. They alerted that professors of Administrative Law from the University of Malaga,have issued a report in which points out the need to initiate an expropriation procedure. 

Tivoli - Documentary Film 2024

Meanwhile Tivoli can be seen on a documentary film directed by two journalists, Sergio Rodrigo and Lucía Muñoz (from Malaga and Cordoba) which premiered at the Malaga Film Festival in June 2024 and a special screening in Benalmádena, Cine Albéniz (Malaga city),  at CineSur Miramar (Fuengirola), at CineSur El Ingenio (Velez-Málaga), and at CineSur El Tablero Cordoba. It was aired on Canal Sur in September 2024 and can be viewed on the link below. It has been nominated for seven Goya awards at the 8th February 2025 edition including best documentary.

Tivoli - The amusement park remembered by a whole generation of Andalucians
Production company: AliquinDoc, with the participation of RTVE and Canal Sur Radio and Television.
Directed by: Lucía Muñoz and Sergio Rodrígo
Script: Juana Torrijos and Ignacio Wilson
Production manager: Laura Rueda
Photography: Jorge Colomer
Music: Pablo McGrail Fernández and Jesús Sánchez
Editing: Andrei Stefan Balog
Sound: Ainhoa Soria
With the participation of: Alfonso Cerezo Medina, Juan Antonio Lara Martín, Mogen Holmen, Lina de los Ríos Romero, Juan Carmona Sánchez, Francisco de la Torre, Miguel Ríos, María José Santiago, Rafael Gómez Sánchez, Alfonso Alba Cuesta and Ana María Moreno Peña.

In August 2024 Benalmádena Town Hall has announced that it will hold a meeting in September with the land owner Tremon. The council reaffirmed that it is in favour of reopening Tivoli to operate as an amusement park and added that it would accept the possibility of the property developing a commercial premises area. The Mayor mentioned that the Council has acted as an intermediary between 'at least four companies have shown interest in managing Tivoli World' with Tremon.

In October 2024, the High Court of Justice of Andalucia (TSJA) annulled the City Council's motion of 13 April 2023, which approved an amendment to Benalmádena's Urban Plan to protect the Tivoli World site for exclusive use as a theme park. (See April 2023) This was in response to an appeal lodged by the Tremón Group. The court ruled that the public interest right had not been proven. The Town Hall was ordered to pay the costs. The municipal groups PSOE and IU presented a motion at the council meeting calling on the council to appeal against the court ruling. This original motion was approved under the mandate of the PSOE mayor, Víctor Navas. The current deputy mayor explained that the council's legal department had issued a report advising against appealing the TSJA ruling. He added that 'without going into an analysis of whether such an appeal would be successful, the desired objective can be achieved by other means', but did not elaborate.

By November 2024 it was clear the current council team's strategy was that negotiation [with Tremón the bancrupt owners] is the best way to achieve the reopening of Tivoli and stated in local press to be doing ‘everything possible’. ‘We are totally convinced that we are going to succeed,’ in a confident message that without details will take a lot of faith by the stakeholders to believe.

On the first Sunday of every month, a rally is held at the gates of Tivoli World to support the small team of ex-employees who maintain the facilities.

On February 21, 2025, the City Council of Benalmádena and the Tremon real estate group, which owns the park, signed an agreement that was hailed as the one that would lead to the opening of Tivoli World, with the renewal of the attractions and the creation of a large tourist and commercial complex. The amusement park would retain its current area and a hotel and commercial center would be added.

The terms of the agreement were published in the BOPU. Of the 156,000 square meters of the total area of the site, the area for the amusement park itself will be 35,860 square meters. (The park that was closed was 77,000 square meters). The commercial area will be 58,000 square meters, with a future maximum of 85,000 square meters, of which 34,000 meters is planned to be built. The land dedicated to the hotel is 4,500 square meters. The agreement includes a mechanism for hiring the former employees of Tivoli World. The developer is required to invest between €100 million and €200 million in the project.

The next step will be for the City Council to approve the agreement and include the expansion of the park in the General Plan for Urban Development (PGOU). This formality will take between one and two years. It will then take another two years to renovate the park's aging facilities and build the new commercial center.

The opposition party PSOE has called the agreement a big urbanistic football and stated that there are investors who would protect and run the original park. It is not transparent nor clear who would fund the new construction.

Mogen Holmen, director of Tivoli for more than thirty years, died on Wednesday 2 April. Morgen came over form Denmark to run Tivoli in 1975 and became the right-hand man of Tivoli's first owner, Ben Olsen. around 1975 and continued when the business started to have financial problems and Olsen sought the support of an investor, the controversial Henrik Johansen. Well into his retirment Morgen played an immportant role in the Tivoli - Documentary Film 2024 (see details above).

Page Updated 4th April 2025

 

 

Tivoli world when it was open

Tivoli World was the largest family entertainment theme park on the Costa del Sol. It is located in the heart of Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmadena and is easily to reach by car, train, bus or taxi. 

The setting is a wonderful combination of tropical gardens, beautiful plazas, luminous fountains, exiting fair ground rides, theatres, restaurants and much more. There are over 300 rides and attractions. Some of the best Flamenco shows are held here and many important musical artists appear in concert every season. The fabulous outdoor theatre can seat up to 3,000 people and the atmosphere is often electric. For variety and as a contrast to the Spanish Flamenco theatre, there is also a fabulous Far West corner, where you enter the world of the cowboy can even find out your skills as a bucking bronco rider! Tivoliandia is a new section, which has recently been added to the Park, offering 11 rides for the youngest members of the family. So, from small children to grandparents, Tivoli World has something for everyone.

Artists and groups who regularly appear at the Tivoli Theatre are famous Spanish Singers, Rocia Jurado and Isabel Pantoja, as well at the Moscow Ballet Company.

Other type of shows you can expect, include:

In the Plaza
Folklore Dancing, Flamenco Dancing and Classical Flamenco

In the Wild West Plaza
Circus, Wild West Show, Stars on Broadway and A night with the Moulin Rouge

In the Theatre
Teletubbies and Friends (Free), Golden Abba (6 Euros) and Elvis, the Legend (6 Euros)

Over 30 restaurants, bars and snack bars.

The warm summer evenings in this part of the world lend themselves to a totally enjoyable family afternoon or evening out, with enough to do to keep all ages mesmerized and happy for hours. Whether you go to see a specific show or music concert, or to let the children have fun on the Tunnel of Fear, Twister or Carrousel - or both, it's worth checking out the prices. Like in Disney, Tivoli World has its own currency in the form of 'Tivolinos'. Buying a blanket entrance ticket can be more economical than paying individual rides and entrance to some shows. (See prices below).

One of the rides not for the children is a thrill-seekers delight, a tower with a free fall of 60 metres! Another warning is to be sure you take some dry clothing for after the log flume if you are visiting in cooler months.

How to get there

By Car:
Take the exit number 222 from the main A-7 Autovia. There is ample parking.

By Train: Local train line (RENFE Cercanias) coming from Fuengirola or Malaga. Stop at Arroyo de la Miel station. Tivoli World is just 100 meters walk.

By Bus:
The Arroyo de la Miel-Benalmadena bus routes stop right at the entrance to Tivoli World. Lines M-103, M-112, M-121, M-124, M-125, M-126.

By Taxi: You only need to say Tivoli World, Arroyo de la Miel and the driver will know where to go. Phoning for a taxi: Radio Taxi, Benalmadena: 952 441 545 Radio Taxi, Torremolinos: 952 380 600. Radio Taxi, Fuengirola 952 471 000.

 

Booking.com

Prices

7,95 Euros (over 1.0m tall) Entrance to the gardens and walkways, some free shows and access to bars and restaurants.

22,95 Euros This is the price of the 'Supertivolino', which includes over 35 rides

There are also special group rates and lower prices for students and senior citizens. There are restrictions on height and age on some of the rides, with safety in mind.

Location

Avenida Tivoli, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmadena.