The Red Hot Chili Peppers have a place to play in Costa Rica again.
A representative for the Costa Rican Sports and Recreation Institute (ICODER) board of directors told the daily La Nación on Tuesday afternoon that the government agency has agreed to host the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert at west San José’s National Stadium on Sept. 12, as originally planned.
Rafael Vargas told the daily that the decision was made after a meeting with concert organizer Evenpro. Prior permission had already been granted to Evenpro, so the ICODER board withdrew its complaint, Vargas said.
No more shows will be approved for the stadium this year, Vargas added. A study will also be done to study the impact of these concerts on the stadium.
ICODER President Luis Pereza announced Monday morning that the institute had denied the California-based funk rock band a permit to play at the newly built $100 million venue, a gift from China.
“The board decided that there would be only six concerts a year,” Pereza told The Tico Times Tuesday. “The last confirmed concert is Pearl Jam in November. [The Red Hot Chili Peppers] would be the seventh. Sports is the top priority in the stadium, and commercial events are second.”
Pereza expressed concern that the stadium would be hosting three concerts in a month’s time. He said the trio of concerts could deteriorate the field or the track, which would be affected every time materials for a concert are transported into the venue. In addition to the Red Hot Chili Peppers the second weekend of September, Juan Luis Guerra plays on Aug. 25 and Judas Priest and Whitesnake are scheduled for Sept. 27.
Tickets for the Chili Peppers concert go on sale for the general public on July 18 www.specialticket.net or call, 2206-7770. Ticket prices range from $34 to $90.
