The latest in this site's series of reports on 2014 World Cup host cities heads to the Amazon and one of the region´s main cities, Manaus, capital of Brazil´s largest state by area, Amazonas.
Located at the confluence of the Amazon and Negro rivers, Manaus is the key departure point for tours of the Amazon Rainforest and the city itself offers close contact with the exotic fauna and flora of the region, as well as a myriad of museums and the impressive Amazon Theatre. Manaus was founded in 1669 and now has a population of 1.7 over million in the city and 2 million in the metropolitan area.
For the 2014 Cup Manuas won a tight battle with fellow Amazon city Belem for the region´s sole host spot. Although questions have been raised over the economic sustainability of a large, modern stadium in the city, the council and state government have moved quickly to elaborate the FIFA-approved project involving the demolition of the former Vivaldão stadium (capacity 31,000) and construction of the new Arena Amazonica and surrounds on the same grounds, which are owned by the state of Amazonas.
Arena Amazonica has been designed by Brazilian Danilo Carvalho from Grupo Stadia together with German architects Ralf Amann and Robert Hormes and will have a capacity of 47,000. The stadium will feature natural systems of ventilation and air conditioning, re-use of rain water and efficient methods of lighting when daylight is not sufficient. Brazilian construction giant Andrade Gutierrez has won the R$515 million building contract and, once finished, the Amazonas government is expected to seek a private operator.
In terms of timing, the former stadium has long been closed and demounting of the existing facilities, to be reused or redistributed, is almost complete. The builder expects to have the base infrastructure and lower stands complete by February 2011, with the scheduled completion date of December 2012 still in place.
Beyond the stadium the surrounding area will also house a leisure and sport complex with commercial and residential areas. The existing gymnasium complex next to the current stadium will be used as a media centre.
Manaus´s transport system will also receive significant upgrades, including a possible monorail, while the river port will gain new passenger and tourist facilities.