The iconic year-end celebrations in San José, Costa Rica, face mounting uncertainty after the local government officially declared the tender process for the Zapote bullring and fairgrounds void. The decision comes after the only qualified bidder failed to present a financial offer during the scheduled online auction.The traditional Zapote fairgrounds during the year-end and New Year festivities.

No Bids Submitted Despite Sole Qualified Participant

The bidding process—officially cataloged under procedure number 2026RE-000004-0015499999 on the Public Procurement System (Sicop)—had an auction base price set at ¢420 million (CRC). Of this total, ¢80 million was designated as in-kind contributions to cover essential operational services, including electrical installations, site security, and general maintenance.

To participate in the virtual auction, interested vendors were required to purchase a bidding paddle serving as a guarantee deposit worth ¢33 million. Despite these preparations, only one company qualified: MyD Ferias S.A.

The public auction took place virtually on Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. However, when the window closed, MyD Ferias S.A. had not submitted an official offer, leaving municipal organizers with no option but to declare the procedure void.

Are the Traditional Celebrations at Risk?

The failure of the initial tender has sparked widespread concern among residents, vendors, and local officials over whether the traditional year-end and New Year festivities can proceed on schedule.

Opinions within municipal circles remain divided:

• Optimistic View: Some officials maintain that sufficient time remains for the San José Festivities Commission to launch an expedited secondary tender process.
• Skeptical View: Others warn that administrative timelines are dangerously tight, particularly given strict regulatory frameworks.

Crucially, the municipal government cannot request a special authorization from the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR), as the situation does not qualify under legal definitions for an emergency procedure.

Political Fallout and Allegations of Delays

The tender collapse has intensified political friction within San José’s municipal government. Councilwoman Yorleny Córdoba publicly criticized Mayor Diego Miranda, attributing the administrative breakdown to severe delays in forming the key organizing bodies.

According to Córdoba, the municipal regulations for popular festivities require the Festivities Commission to be appointed in February. However, this year the commission was not established until June or July.

Furthermore, Córdoba noted that the official Oversight Commission—tasked with auditing and approving the regulatory compliance of the event—was only appointed in early October.

“So, what happens? There was no time for the oversight commission to review [the process], as required by the regulations, once the festivities commission was installed,” Córdoba stated, raising additional concerns regarding how commission members were selected.

The San José Festivities Commission has yet to issue an official statement regarding their next steps or whether a second auction will be initiated in time to save the season’s events.

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