The work sites on the two most important stadiums in Rio Grande do Sul show scenarios that are almost opposites. In the Beira-Rio, selected as a venue for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, work stopped two weeks ago with the negotiations between Sport Club Internacional and the building firm Andrade Gutierrez. In contrast, at the Grêmio Arena, which shall play but a secondary role in the forthcoming World Cup in Brazil, some 800 laborers were erecting the structure of the new stadium.
According to engineer Hélio Giaretta, the assets manager at SC Internacional, the refurbishment of the giant Beira-Rio should be resumed next month, after the contract is signed between the club and the building firm.
At the moment, there is not one person working at the Beira-Rio. The construction of one quarter of the lower stands is currently on hold. The plan was for the new seats to be inaugurated this June. In the surroundings of the Stadium, the completion of the foundations that shall support the future cover of the stadium has also been stopped.
“These stoppages do not affect the schedule”, Mr. Giaretta said during a technical visit this Wednesday (29th of June) by architects and technicians from the Architecture and Engineering Trade Union (Sinaenco). “We have about 15% of the refurbishment already in place and, if necessary, we shall be implementing a night shift of workers to speed up the progress of this work”.
SC Internacional had to put the brakes on the refurbishment of the Beira-Rio due to a change in the path towards the modernization of the stadium. With a change in the administration of the Club at the beginning of the year, the Club decided not to press on with the refurbishment work using their own resources. In May, the club reached a partnership agreement with Andrade Gutierrez to press on with the development. However, the club and the building firm are already agreeing on details for the signing of the Contract.
The change has raised the budget for the work on the Beira-Rio from the original value of R$ 155 million to something around R$ 230 million. In addition, the SC Internacional have now forsaken the income generated by the new commercial areas of the stadium, for a period of 20 years.
Grêmio Arena
The model is similar to that used by city rivals Grêmio. According to the building company OAS, the club has changed the site of the Olímpico Stadium for a brand new arena in the neighborhood of Humaitá, which is an area as yet largely undeveloped in the city of Porto Alegre. The management of the stadium shall be shared between the construction firm and the club for a period of 20 years, with the profits being divided and with a fixed amount being assured to Grêmio.
The construction work got under way in September of last year and, according to Grêmio’s board of directors, 30% of the construction work has already been completed. At the work site it is already possible to see part of the structure of the new stadium, including pre-fabricated beams and pillars, made of concrete.
According to the Production Manager at OAS, Robledo Morais, 90% of the foundations are ready. However, it shall only be possible to get an idea of what the stadium shall look like six months from now, when the parts of the stands start being assembled.
The work has been budgeted at between R$ 300 million and R$ 400 million and still depends on the approval of financing from the National Bank of Social and Economic Development (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social - BNDES), which shall pay for 50% of the cost of the development.
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14/02 | News
