Post-World Cup: Arena Pantanal could become a leisure area.

LISLAINE DOS ANJOS
WRITING MidiaNews

An integral part of the Arena Pantanal Multipurpose Complex, the stadium's leisure area promises to be one of the most visited spaces in the area after the 2014 World Cup. Furthermore, it is highlighted by the Extraordinary Secretariat for the World Cup (Secopa) itself as "a legacy" for the population – especially for the residents of the Verdão neighborhood.

According to the contract manager for the Arena Pantanal construction project, civil engineer João Paulo Curvo, the external area covers approximately 130 m² (13 hectares). This space includes the green area and the leisure area for the stadium's fans, with 109 m² dedicated solely to parking.

In the leisure area, three buildings will be constructed, connected by a suspended walkway five meters high: a restaurant with a viewing deck and a football museum in a single building; beer kiosks and a staircase, covering an area of ​​approximately 20 m².

"The Arena Pantanal project envisioned a use for the access areas surrounding the Arena. There's the project for the event, which is what we're doing now, and there's a project indicating how to use the area for its legacy. Part of that outline that the designer created is exactly what we're building now," said Curvo.

The entire exterior area, located in the northern region of the stadium, has already had its construction started, including the staircase - an architectural structure consisting of a staircase, an allusive (figurative) roof, and a reflecting pool.

From afar, many mistake the structure for a small grandstand, but the engineer explained its function: "The staircase is a contemplative structure, alluding to buildings used during the Roman Empire. It's a structure that becomes a point of reference, a meeting point, so people can orient themselves and say where they are."

According to Curvo, 30% of the services planned for that space have already been completed. On site, it's even possible to see the final stages of the entire metal structure of the walkway and the area's components – the so-called superstructure phase.

"All the structures are already under construction. The metal structure of the walkway, museum, restaurant, and beer gardens is already finished, and now only the civil works, enclosure, and finishing touches on the bathrooms and kitchen countertops remain. The leisure area will be entirely glazed and have a different architectural design," he said.

According to Curvo, the entire external area is included in the contract signed between the State Government and the construction company Mendes Júnior, scheduled to be delivered along with the stadium construction in October of this year. The engineer stated that 25 men work exclusively in this external space, without adopting a three-shift system.

In addition to the construction of these complementary works and the green area, the construction company will also have to carry out, according to Curvo, all the paving of the surrounding access plaza, including the reconstruction of the parking lots of the Aecim Tocantins Gymnasium, the area next to the swimming pool and the Martial Arts Gymnasium, and the construction of the new parking lot for the Arena.

Legacy and use

Although construction in the recreational area is already underway, Curvo emphasized that the facilities will not be used by the public for this purpose during the months of June and July 2014, when Cuiabá will be hosting four of the World Cup matches.

"These are spaces that will not be used as restaurants, museums, or kiosks during the World Cup, as they are within the FIFA [International Federation of Association Football] hospitality area. All of this leisure area infrastructure is already contracted in this way, but it will not be used for that purpose during the World Cup. There will be no concession for the operation of these spaces during the event because it is within an area reserved for FIFA VIPs," he explained.

According to the engineer, it is difficult to envision the entire surrounding area as a legacy right now, since the state government has not yet defined how the Arena Complex will be managed.

"I don't know if the State will grant a concession to a private company just for the Arena and another just for the leisure area, or if everything will be contracted together so the manager can decide who will be responsible for operating each space. The Football Museum could become something else, for example, because that's its legacy model, but it will depend on the will of whoever is managing the space. The same goes for the kiosks and the restaurant," he said.

The designer of the Arena Pantanal created a sketch of how the external area could be used during the legacy phase. "This area can be used, during the post-World Cup legacy, to house circuses, fairs, exhibitions, events, that can utilize this space, which will be open. The designer provided this parameter, but this did not become part of a contract. Everything depends on the concession format, which also allows for the construction of a commercial building, a parking garage, etc.," he said.

According to the engineer, designs for the creation of sports courts for community use, BMX tracks, and a skate park (half pipe) were included in the project, in addition to the construction of the structures that are already underway at the site today. "This leisure area is designed to be completely open, with the structure fully enclosed, but with open spaces for the public. But I don't have the use of these structures yet contracted. That will depend on the concession," explained Curvo.

Arena Project

With a capacity for 44.336 spectators, the Arena Pantanal was conceived using modern concepts of functionality and sustainability, and 62% of its construction is already completed. The project has received several awards, including an international one, and has been praised by institutions linked to national architecture.

The Arena Pantanal complex covers 34 hectares. The stadium alone will comprise almost 104 m² of this space and will have a capacity to hold 44.336 people. The project also includes 96 VIP boxes inside, in addition to 12 seats reserved for the press, 70 restrooms, 20 access staircases, and 1,2 elevators. Regarding parking, Secopa plans to build 380 spaces inside the Arena and another 2,4 outside.

According to Secopa, the stadium's architecture was designed to meet the needs of a hot city like Cuiabá. The project includes cross-ventilation with air intakes in the corners located between the grandstand sections. In addition, flooring and roofing will be installed to mitigate the heat.

The total cost of the Arena Pantanal, as outlined in the Responsibility Matrix, is R$ 518,9 million, of which R$ 420 million has already been contracted – related to the construction of the Arena.