Ball rolling for the construction of the Sao Paulo Arena

GL events, Live Nation and Oak View Group have entered into negotiations to build and operate a 20,000-seat arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The investment will be assured in its entirety by Live Nation and Oak View Group, with work set to start in the second half of 2022 for an inauguration scheduled in 2024. The ‘Sao Paulo Arena’ has been designed to respect the principles of responsible construction and sustainable development. The venue will be equipped with the latest technology to host concerts, sports events and shows. This announcement marks the beginning of the redevelopment of the Anhembi area, for which GL events was awarded a 30-year management concession by the city of Sao Paulo, which will include a vast building programme, a convention centre and a cultural boulevard. The signature of the contract is expected by the end of 2021. These developments will aim to transform Anhembi into a new innovative district of Sao Paulo and contribute to the city’s economic vitality and social fabric. Anhembi will have an Arena, a theatre, a Sambodrome, an exhibition centre and Sao Paulo’s first new generation international congress centre. With this redevelopment, Anhembi is expected to generate economic benefits of approximately BRL 5bn (US$915m) for the city. Olivier Ginon (pictured), chairman and CEO of GL events, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Oak View Group and Live Nation Entertainment, two global entertainment industry leaders, to initiate the development of the Anhembi complex. This project calls for a comprehensive event and entertainment venue to consolidate its position. We look forward to developing synergies between the Sao Paulo Arena and our network of venues, including the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro.” Live Nation and Oak View Group will develop and operate the Arena and be responsible for its marketing. Live Nation, already present in Brazil organising tours and festivals, will bring international and national artists to the city’s future concert hall. Ricardo Nunes, mayor of Sao Paulo, said: “This is a historic day for our city as we launch the development of the Sao Paulo Arena project with the top three global leaders in their sector.” Michael Rapino, president and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, stated: “As a leader in live entertainment, we are delighted to expand our presence in Latin America by creating a world-class Arena in Sao Paulo.” Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of OVG, added: “We are honoured to add Sao Paulo to our global portfolio of entertainment destinations and look forward to working with GL events and Live Nation Entertainment to transform the Anhembi complex into the Latin America’s largest entertainment zone.”