San Fernando Residents Fight Mega-Club "Gay Adventure" — Fear a Second Yumbo

The façade is up, the advertising is out, the website is live: on Calle Alcalde Marcial Franco in San Fernando — with its rear facing the GC-500 and Playa del Inglés — the company Sun Construction GC is announcing the "Gay Adventure" project. In the building that for decades housed the popular Grill Casa Antonio, a mega-club with a dance floor, multiple bars, a snack restaurant, 1,000 lockers and a labyrinth play area is planned.

What is planned

According to announcements on the website and social media, the project covers 2,300 square metres. Of that, 1,200 m² will serve as a "relax area". There will also be a dance floor, two to three bars, a snack restaurant, a so-called "Puppy Land", and a play area with labyrinths. The operating company is San Fernando Cruising SL — founded on 27 November 2025 with spa, sauna and steam bath activities as its registered purpose.

Why neighbours are protesting

Residents of San Fernando have so far voiced their opposition on social media — according to municipal sources, no formal complaint has been filed with the town hall of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Their fear: the club will effectively become a 24/7 cruising operation, bringing noise, traffic and parking problems into a residential neighbourhood.

The residents' key message: "San Fernando is not the Yumbo. The Yumbo is a designated commercial zone — our neighbourhood is a place to live."

The licensing question

The town hall has received an application for a change of ownership of the existing licence. The old permit for Grill Casa Antonio dates from 1973 and covers bar, restaurant and function room activities. Whether an application to change the permitted activities has also been filed could not be confirmed. What is clear: there is a considerable gap between what the old licence allows and what the website advertises.

The bigger picture

Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés have been among Europe's most important LGBTQ+ destinations for decades — with the Yumbo Center at its heart. Gay tourism is a significant economic driver for the south of Gran Canaria. At the same time, there are recurring conflicts between tourist-oriented businesses and the interests of residents in surrounding neighbourhoods.

The Gay Adventure case illustrates this tension: on one side, an entrepreneur investing in expanding the leisure offering. On the other, residents determined to protect their neighbourhood.

CITA News is monitoring the situation and will report as soon as the town hall makes a decision or residents formalise their complaint.