Cuiabá: Host city of the World Cup 2014

31 May, 2014

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By Wellington Medeiros 
 
Cuiabá, capital of Mato Grosso state, is situated right near the centre of the South-American continent. The holding of the FIFA World Cup of Brazil 2014 in Cuiabá, a city with about 600,000 inhabitants, offers a great opportunity for anyone who wants to experience the exuberance of nature. The capital of Mato Grosso is the point of entry into three of the most important natural environments in Brazil: the Cerrado, the Pantanal and Amazonia, tourist destinations which attract those seeking direct contact with their flora and fauna. Just a few kilometres away along asphalt roads, it is possible to go fishing and experience life in the wild in the biggest ecological sanctuary on the planet, the Pantanal, or in the stony landscapes and waterfalls of the Chapada dos Guimarães, less than 70 Km from the city.
But it is not only in its surroundings that Cuiabá keeps its charms. The city itself holds surprises, like the historic centre, which is listed by the Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage. Still preserved the first urban streets go back to the discovery of gold on the banks of the Prainha stream in 1722.


The Stadium
 
Built over an area of 300,000 square metres, which includes woodland and a lake, the Pantanal Arena has a terrace of 93,000 sq metres around it, designed to facilitate the movement of fans. The venue was intended to host different types of events, and it will become a new leisure facility for the residents of Cuiabá, with restaurants, bars, a walkway, gardens and a staircase, which can serve as a stage for concerts.
With a total built area of 107,000 square metres, the stadium will have a capacity for 44,000 fans, 41,390 places during the World Cup. The project was conceived so that the stands at the north and south ends (behind the goals) would be movable. Constructed in metal they can hold 18,000 people.

The multi-use character of the place also extends to the materials used in finishing, which can be removed. They can be altered to suit the use of the space inside. Some floors can be transformed into a large conference centre, or into lecture halls. The floor slabs are able to accept loads of different types, depending on the layout of the walls.
About 1,800 people were working on building the Pantanal Arena at its peak, which began in April 2010 with the demolition of the old Governor José Fragelli Stadium, inaugurated in 1975, and known as the Big Green. The project has a budget of 570 Million Reais, of which 339 million is federal finance, through the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES).

Cuiabá is perhaps the city with the biggest challenges to holding the World Cup, because it needs to greatly improve the quality of public services, and change the image of the state as a whole, in order to take better advantage of tourism based on the exuberant flora and fauna of the area.