# Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium

Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium (Spanish: Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez) is an open-air multi-purpose stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Opened in 1974 for the XII Central American & Caribbean Games and renovated 2003 Pan American Games is the largest stadium in the Dominican Republic used mostly for football and track and field and as a music venue. The stadium has a sporting events' capacity of 27,000 people, though it has seen crowds of 35,000. For concerts, its stated capacity is 50,000 people.
It was formerly known as Estadio Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte, because of the sports complex where it is located (Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte), However, in 2005 it was named after the 400 m hurdles athlete Félix Sánchez after he won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
It served as home of the Dominican soccer teams Bauger FC and Atletico Pantoja and it's of one of the two stadium that served as home of the Dominican Republic national football team.

## History

In February 1966, it began the construction of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic complex to host the XII Central American & Caribbean Games. Concluded in February 1974, the stadium was inaugurated with the name of Juan Pablo Duarte Stadium named after the founding father. It had a capacity of 22,000. The stadium hosted the track & field events of the XII Central American & Caribbean Games between 27 February and 13 March 1974.
Between the 1980s and 1990s the stadium served for several events including concerts and religion celebration. 1997 the stadium served as venue of the first edition of the Latin Music Festival sponsored by the Dominican beer Presidente, Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina. The music festival was a commercial success, invited several international pop starts. The music festival returned in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2014 & 2017.
It was renovated for the 2003 Pan America Games to host the track & field events and the opening and closing ceremonies. It was equipped with 24,000 fixed seats and areas for special guests, press, dressing rooms and a cafeteria. It was inaugurated on 23 July 2003, by the president Hipolito Mejia and the renovation cost over US$6 million of dollars. In August 2004, the stadium hosted a friendly game between the national team of Brazil and Haiti and it included the participation of soccer stars of Ronaldo and Ronhaldino. In May 2005, the name of the stadium was official changed to Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium honoring the 400 m hurdles athlete Félix Sánchez for winning a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. In 2012, he won another medal on the same category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
During the 2000s and 2010s decades several international pop artists performed concerts at the stadium including Shakira, Coldplay, Daddy Yankee, Juan Luis Guerra, Luis Miguel, Ricardo Arjona, Maroon 5, Britney Spears.
It is set to host matches for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup including in the final.

## Notable events

| Band/Artist | Event/Tour | Date | Attendance |
| 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games | 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games | 1974 | |
| Juan Luis Guerra | Visa Para Un Sueño | 25 December 1990 | |
| Luis Miguel | Aries Tour | 23 April 1994 | |
| Juan Luis Guerra | Forgarate Tour | 10 June 1995 | 50,000/50,000 |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 1997 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 1997 | 20, 21 & 22 June 1997 | 120,000 |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 1998 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 1998 | 26, 27 & 28 June 1998 | 155,000 |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 1999 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 1999 | 3, 4 & 5 June 1999 | (92,503/105,000) |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2001 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2001 | 1, 2 & 3 June 2001 | (131,200/131,200) |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2003 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2003 | 17, 18 & 19 October 2003 | 55,000 (Last Show) |
| 2003 Pan American Games | 2003 Pan American Games | | |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2005 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2005 | 14, 15 & 16 October 2005 | 150,000+ (Total) |
| Juan Luis Guerra | 20 Años Tour | 27 December 2005 | 50,000+ |
| Shakira | Oral Fixation Tour | 19 December 2006 | 50,000 |
| Ricardo Arjona and Wisin & Yandel | El Concierto Claro | 1 July 2007 | |
| Luis Miguel | Cómplices Tour | 12 November 2008 | |
| Marcela Gándara | Mas que un Anehlo Tour | 22 November 2008 | |
| Juan Luis Guerra | La Travesia Tour | 14 February 2009 | 50,000+ |
| Tiësto | Tiësto | 28 March 2009 | |
| Ricardo Arjona | 5to Piso Tour | 30 May 2009 | |
| Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Gilberto Santa RosaIlegales and Hector Acosta | Idolos Latinos | 3 October 2009 | |
| Jonas Brothers | Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009 | 25 October 2009 | 25,000 |
| The Killers | Day & Age World Tour | 13 November 2009 | |
| Crystal Lewis, Funky, Gadiel Espinoza and Nancy Amancio | Megafest Cristiano | 14 November 2009 | 20,000+ |
| Aventura | The Last Tour | 12 February 2010 | 60,000 |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2010 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2010 | 27–29 August 2010 | |
| Maroon 5 | | 28 December 2010 | |
| Shakira | The Sun Comes Out World Tour | 30 March 2011 | 50,000 |
| Enrique Iglesias & Tito el Bambino | Cierre del Verano Presidente 2011 | 2 September 2011 | |
| Britney Spears | Femme Fatale Tour | 8 December 2011 | 15,000 |
| Marcela Gándara & Jesus Adrian Romero | El brillo de mis ojos | 16 December 2011 | |
| Juan Luis Guerra | A son de Guerra Tour | 16 June 2012 | 42,000 |
| Wisin & Yandel and Prince Royce | Verano Presidente | 7 September 2012 | 45,000 |
| Romeo Santos | The King Stays King Tour | 15 & 22 December 2012 | 50,000+ (per show) |
| Justin Bieber | Believe Tour | 22 October 2013 | 11,321 / 21,850 |
| Jesus Adrian Romero | Jesus Adrian Romero | 21 December 2013 | 15,000+ |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2014 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2014 | 3 October,4,5 2014 | 120,000 (Total) |
| Romeo Santos | Formula, Vol. 2 Tour | 20 December 2014 | 60,000+ (record) |
| Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2017 | Festival Presidente de la Musica Latina 2017 | 3, 4 & 5 November 2017 | 120,000+ (Total) |
| Daddy Yankee | Tamo en Vivo Tour | 16 December 2017 | |
| Barbarela 2018 | Barbarela 2018 | 30 May 2018 | 25,000 |
| Romeo Santos | Golden Tour | 17 December 2018 | 50,000 |
| Luis Miguel | Mexico por siempre tour | 29 March 2019 | 20,000 |
| Ozuna | Nibiru World Tour | 16 February 2020 | 50,000 |
| Aventura | Inmortal Stadium Tour | 18 & 19 December 2021 | 80,000 (Total) |
| Coldplay | Music Of The Spheres World Tour | 22 March 2022 | 33,000 |
| El Alfa | La Leyenda Del Dembow Tour | 16 July 2022 | 45,000 |
| Marc Anthony | Viviendo tour | 22 September 2022 | 15,000 |
| Bad Bunny | World's Hottest Tour | 21 & 22 October 2022 | 100,000 (Total) |
| Daddy Yankee | La Última Vuelta World Tour | 12 November 2022 | 50,000 |
| Monster Jam | Monster Jam | 26 November 2022 | |
| Luis Miguel | Luis Miguel Tour 2023–24 | 18 January 2024 | |
| Juan Luis Guerra | Entre Mar y Palmeras Tour | 10 February 2024 | 50,000 |
| Shakira | Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour | 2 April 2025 | |