The Foro de Mallorca in Binissalem dates from the 1950s. Its heyday was in the seventies and eighties. A precursor of leisure centres on the island, it was notable for having had the first waterslide in Mallorca. There were restaurants, a nightclub, a renowned wax museum housed in its castle.
Aimed at both residents and tourists, time was to pass the Foro by. Waterparks came along, and these were on the coast, so also did other attractions. Its Binissalem location ultimately proved to be a drawback. The decline was gradual but inevitable. The museum closed in 2007. The last surviving part of the complex, the El Molinot restaurant, closed in 2019.
Today, despite the owners' efforts to fence and secure its perimeter, it is still accessible. So much so that squatters can take cars in and out. The occupants go largely unnoticed, given the location, and have basic services like electricity. On occasion, Binissalem Police and the Guardia Civil have had to deal with issues involving the squatters.
In 2013, the complex was put up for sale. The following year it was bought by a businessman from Moscari who was living in Mexico. The asking price was €980,000. In 2019, it was put back up for sale after a project to convert the site into a private nursing home fell through; the price had risen to 2.9 million euros.
The Council of Mallorca had rejected the plan in 2016. This was because of the complexities of land regulations. Authorisation for a change of use would have required a reclassification of the land because it lacks basic services for urban land, such as a proper sewage system.
Six years on, there have been no takers. The remains of the restaurants, the club and the castle are still standing but in danger of collapse. They have become a dumping ground. Everything of any value has been taken. In 2022, following complaints from neighbours about all the trash as well as the squatters, the site was fenced off, but not securely. Anyone who wishes to enter can do so with relative ease.
What does the future hold for the Foro, a relic of an entertainment era long passed but not unique in its abandonment? Alcudia's Es Fogueró, closed since 1992, is another example.