Brazil´s National Development Bank, the BNDES, has approved R$ 400 million in financing to remodel and refit the Governador Magalhães Pinto soccer stadium, known as Mineirão, which remains in contention to host the opening match of the 2014 World Soccer Cup in Brazil.
BNDES stated that the operation is within the scope of the BNDES ProCopa Arenas program, with the funding to be used by the Minas Arena Gestão de Instalações Esportivas S.A., a Special Purpose Enterprise (SPE) comprising the engineering companies Construcap, Egesa and HAP. Beyond the ongoing renovation works the consortium will also manage the stadium for 27 years, in accordance with the Public and Private Partnership (PPP) framework established by the state government.
The renovation project includes the surrounding esplanade, parking lot and footbridge connecting the smaller Mineirinho facility. Sustainable solutions were also incorporated, such as: rain water recycling, natural lighting as well as ventilation and reducing consumption and emissions of energy through geothermal cooling and bioethanol applications. Completion is estimated for December 2012, thus, in time to be eligible to host the Confederations Cup matches, in 2013.
Located in Belo Horizonte, the home of the Brazilian mining industry, Mineirão is Brazil´s second largest stadium in capacity (65,000) and average audience, and is the only arena in Brazil that hosts almost all the matches of two large soccer clubs, Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro, which do not have their own stadium. Belo Horizonte is a focal point for Australian companies in Brazil, chiefly because of the mining industry, and is also home to a regional Austrade office, linked directly to Austrade Sao Paulo. The city´s existing links with Australia and its ongoing World Cup preparations present a range of opportunities for Australian groups across a range of sectors including major event planning and services, urban mobility, sustainable development and tourism.