Спорт

On August 4 in the evening the center of Velingrad deserted because a huge crowd of people came to the opening of the completely renovated City Stadium. According to the organizers of the stadium, between 8 and 10 thousand people gathered. Among the official guests were the municipal councillors, Rakitovo Mayor Georgi Mihaylov, Valentin Chakarov of the Amateur Football League. Because of the holiday season, a large part of the officially invited sports figures and politicians did not come.

The celebration was opened by the musicians and the cheerleaders from the Representative Brass Orchestra. Then came the speech of the mayor Dr. Tsvetan Dafov, who was happy to announce that he had fulfilled one of his election promises and after 15 years of dispossession Velingrad once again has a stadium. The mayor recalled that this happened thanks to the decision of the Municipal Council to create a joint-stock company together with the Beevi Brothers SD with 25% municipal participation.
Under the applause of the audience, the ribbon of the new stadium cut Mr. Fidel Beev, who was visibly excited and even dropped the scissors. Then, according to an old folk custom, Dr. Dafov splashed a turd of water on the recently grassed terrain.
Immediately after the official part began the concert of Canaletto and friends, led by Kamen Vodenicharov, who thanked for the invitation and wished the Velingrad stadium to grow many successful athletes and Olympians. A technical gaffe with the location of the stage and the arrangements caused some of the audience to leave the sectors behind the stage. The concert was attended by a string quartet "Intro" - a successful Bulgarian copy of the popular "Bond"; Nina Nikolina with an entirely new image plus a performance of "Izlel e Delyo Haidutin"; the new star Evdalina Koleva and the undisputed favorite of teenagers Rushi Vidinliev, who received the greatest dose of applause and enthusiasm. Martina Vachkova, Toncho Tokmakchiev, Viktor Kalev and Kamen Vodenicharov did their best to sound their sketches in tune with the place and the event and introduced a "velingrad" flavor in the jokes. The highlight of the party was the fireworks at the end of the concert, which lit up the stadium and the sky above the city. After the concert for the official guests, there was a cocktail at the Hotel Marquita, where the stars of Canaletto were staying.
Many comments about the event were heard among the huge audience. What they had in common was that what was done by the Beevi Brothers SD was good and deserved admiration for the money and effort invested. The huge investment of over 900,000 leva, which is not at all within the power of the municipal treasury, returned to the city a sports facility, of which the local sports and tourism had a huge need and which will be an undeniable plus for Velingrad.
Elena Baeva