Murcia's historic Cine Rex purchased by betting and entertainment group

After being closed since 2019 and years of protests and petitions, Cine Rex has been bought by Grupo Orenes

The historic Cine Rex in central Murcia is finally moving forward after years of uncertainty. Grupo Orenes has bought the iconic building, promising to reopen it as a 'cultural, artistic and social space', whatever that means. The betting and entertainment company hasn't yet confirmed exactly how the building will be used, but says it will be 'open to all citizens'. In the coming months, technical assessments and planning will guide proposals before a reopening schedule is announced.

The Cine Rex has long been at the heart of debates over the city's cultural heritage. Closed since August 2019, the cinema had previously also served as a theatre, and generations of locals remember attending shows there. Following its closure, residents staged rallies and petitions, including the #SalvemosElCineRex campaign, to prevent the building from being handed over for private uses such as restaurants, gyms or nightclubs.

In 2025, the Rex was added to Hispania Nostra's Red List, highlighting the risk of losing Murcia's last historic cinema in the city centre. Public pressure also led the city council to consider purchasing the building and declaring it an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), while changes to the Special Plan for the Historic Ensemble expanded allowed uses to entertainment, commerce, offices, restaurants, leisure and certain private facilities without altering the main hall.

Even with these measures, the debate continued. Heritage groups and the Cine Rex Vivo platform remained vocal, stressing the importance of maintaining the building's cultural character. The council resolved nearly 4,000 objections in the planning process and made sure that no intermediate floors or dividing elements could be added, safeguarding the hall's original layout.

Grupo Orenes, known for its work in gaming, entertainment and catering, has pledged a project respectful of the surroundings and compliant with current regulations. Pedro García Cuestas, the group’s Director of Institutional Relations, said the Rex 'is part of Murcia's sentimental memory' and emphasised the company's commitment to reopen it to the city.

Not everyone is happy about the announcement. Elvira Medina, spokesperson for Podemos, said, "Murcia City Council has deceived residents in order to favour the interests of a company that promotes gambling addiction, so that they can turn the Rex Cinema into whatever they want."

He described as "regrettable" the fact that the ayuntamiento "has ignored the more than 30,000 residents who submitted objections to the change of use, and is instead working exclusively to serve a wealthy individual".

"Despite everything, we are confident that citizen mobilisation can still stop this nonsense," she concluded.

For now, at least, the purchase takes some of the pressure off fears that the building could fall into disrepair. The big question now is what Grupo Orense has in store for the old Rex.

Image: Archive