Opposition councilors in Guadalajara say the carousel attraction installed in the historic center has been an abject failure, and is a drain on the city’s resources.
They argue that few people use the amusement ride during the day, but it is still turned on every five minutes, wasting valuable pesos on electricity that could be far better spent.
The opposition National Regeneration Movement (Morena) said the operating expenses of the merry-go-round come to around 100,000 pesos a month. The public is not charged to use the ride.
In addition to paying over the odds for the mechanical attraction, Morena said Mayor Pablo Lemus deceived Tapatios prior to its purchase by saying the ride could be taken to different areas of the municipality, something that now - logistically - seems unlikely. The carousel reportedly cost around 26 million pesos (US$1.5 million).
Another complaint by local residents and businesses is the repetitive music that blares out from loudspeakers attached to the carousel at all times of the day.
“I’m listening to the same five songs over and over from 10 in the morning to 8 at night,” one neighbor complained to El Occidental newspaper this week.
The carousel is located in the small Plaza de la Reforma on the Paseo Alcalde, three blocks from the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Councilors from the majority Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) defended the attraction, saying that, on average, 1,500 people, mainly small children accompanied by adults, use the carousel on a daily basis.