El Foro — Antiguo Palacio Jai Alai

Tijuana's Art Deco jai alai palace, now a concert venue.

The former Palacio Jai Alai is one of the most striking buildings on Avenida Revolución — a 1940s Art Deco structure with a distinctive facade that once held one of the most elaborate sporting venues on the Pacific coast.

Jai alai, the Basque ball game played at extraordinary speeds in a three-walled court called a fronton, was wildly popular in Tijuana during the mid-20th century. The palace attracted thousands of American bettors who crossed the border specifically for the spectacle. When jai alai's American popularity declined, the palace closed and sat dormant for years.

The building has been reinvented as El Foro, a live music and events venue. The fronton court makes for an unusual concert space — the high walls and hard surfaces create exceptional acoustics. Check the venue's programme for concerts, which range from local bands to regional touring acts. The building's exterior is worth seeing regardless of whether anything is on.

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A story
The Palacio Jai Alai opened in 1947 and became one of the great sporting spectacles of the border region. Jai alai — the Basque ball sport played at terrifying speeds in a three-walled court — was enormously popular with American visitors who bet on the results. The palace packed crowds of thousands until the game's American popularity declined in the 1990s. After closing, the Art Deco building stood empty for years before being repurposed as a live music venue. The fronton (playing court) still exists inside, now serving as a concert floor.