Massive remodeling of Mineirinho Arena

Article posted by Coliseum, May 25^th, 2022

Image: Agencia Minas

The redecoration work of Jornalista Felipe Drummond Stadium, known as Mineirinho Arena (Brazil), was awarded to a private entity on May 19^th in Belo Horizonte.

The ‘Agencia Minas’ stated that the reins of the arena will now be in the hands of DMDL/Progen for 35 years and the company will be responsible for the complete renovation of the structure.

Mineirinho Arena is the biggest indoor sporting arena in Brazil. Located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the arena holds 25,000 people. The Mineirinho Arena is used mainly for volleyball but also hosts an eclectic variety of national and international events, all indoor. The venue is also used for basketball, concerts, indoor football, and mixed martial arts.

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Located in the heart of Pampulha, a region of Belo Horizonte whose architectural ensemble was considered a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Mineirinho Arena was inaugurated in the year 1980 as the largest indoor gymnasium in Brazil. The property has a built area of 56,000 square meters, distributed in nine levels, and the capacity to receive approximately 20,000 people. In addition, the site has more than 75,000 square meters of outdoor area.

Around R$150 million will be invested in the facility out of which R$ 41 million will be allocated for refurbishing the stadium, which will take place in the first two years of the contract.

In addition, the concessionaire will pay, over 35 years, an amount on the revenues that will be generated from the running of the stadium.

The ‘Agencia Minas’ further stated that the contract provides for the payment of a variable grant of two percent of the gross revenue. This amount will be increased by one percent every five years as per the current contract. If the concessionaire does not comply with the performance indicators, the grant values change to four percent at the beginning of the contract, reaching nine percent at the end.

The Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Mobility, Fernando Marcato, informed that the spruce-up work will allow the stadium to regain its place as one of the largest multipurpose spaces in Brazil – “Mineirinho is the largest indoor stadium in Brazil. With DMDL/Progen calling the shots, the stadium will run smoothly and will catapult Belo Horizonte’s place in the sporting firmament. Though DMDL/Progen will be running the venue, the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais will continue to be the owner of Mineirinho Arena. Only the management, maintenance and operation will be carried out by the private company for a period of 35 years through the obligation of the concessionaire to make investments in the renovation and extensive modernization of the property.”

Business boost

The repurposing of the Mineirinho Arena will also help to attract business to the Pampulha region. In 2021, the Pampulha Airport was handed over to a private party and in the future the airport as well as the revamped facility will help to attract tourists to the region and it will also serve as an investment hub.

The Mineirinho Arena is located close to the Pampulha Architectural Complex (Museum of Modern Art, Casa do Baile and São Francisco Church) and also to another important sports facility, the 62,000-capacity Governador Magalhães Pinto Stadium (Mineirão) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Upgrade work

Sea change will be brought about to the services offered to fans at the Mineirinho Arena and prime importance will also be accorded to community interests. The safety quotient of the stadium will also get topmost priority.

The court where games are held will be totally spruced up and the original name of the stadium will be retained.

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