After 160 million dirhams in works, Jamaa el-Fna puts another 7.68 million on the table

A new stage in the redevelopment of Jamaa el-Fna is being prepared. Tender 147/2026 specifically concerns the “manufacture, installation and connection of the food vendors’ stalls” on the square.

The contract, published on September 18 by Société Al Omrane Marrakech-Safi, is estimated at 7.68 million dirhams. Candidate companies must also provide a provisional guarantee of 120,000 dirhams, according to the call for tenders notice.

Bids must be submitted electronically before October 12 at 10 a.m. The contract will be awarded as a single lot and includes an environmental clause. The summary notice does not yet specify the number of stalls concerned or the timetable planned for their installation.

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The nature of the contract nevertheless shows that this is not a simple refurbishment. The future installations must be manufactured, installed and then connected, which implies work on the equipment used every evening by the square’s food vendors.

The operation is part of the broader program for the transformation of Jamaa el-Fna, which notably includes resurfacing, the modernization of water, electricity and sanitation networks, as well as the reorganization of commercial areas and access points.

A new stage after the renovation of the square

Al Omrane Marrakech-Safi is already overseeing several components of this project on behalf of the local authorities. Work undertaken since 2025 has significantly changed the organization of the square, particularly in the areas occupied by vendors and food-service businesses.

New carts intended for food and juice sellers had already been introduced in the spring. This time, the new contract explicitly targets the food vendors’ stalls, which are one of the best-known images of Jamaa el-Fna after nightfall.

Their renewal comes after several criticisms of the results of the initial improvements. The food-service area had notably been singled out because of grease stains, drainage problems and the rapid deterioration of some surfaces.

The overall cost of the renovation had also raised questions. In August, the various public amounts associated with the project reached up to 160 million dirhams, depending on the operations taken into account.

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The new call for tenders also comes amid increased scrutiny of commercial activities on the square. In September, a dried-fruit seller was detained and his stall closed after he asked a tourist for 200 dirhams for a very limited quantity of products.