Plans for a new $407m stadium project have been unveiled in the Colombian city of Barranquila.
Arena Del Rio will have a capacity of 55,000 and be the only roofed stadium in Latin America. It will host sports events and concerts and feature a fully retractable mobile lawn. The development, to be built on a 31-hectare site on the banks of the Magdalena River, will also include three auditoriums, a club with 17 event salons, and a semi Olympic pool. Additional complex attractions will include a five-star hotel, virtual reality park, 100 apartments, bars, restaurants, and a four-port marina.
The project is being developed by Two Way Stadiums, Universal Music Group-backed UMUSIC Hotels, Dakia U-Ventures and AECOM, a leader in smart city design and stadium innovation. The project will be funded by Colombian and foreign private capital, and is set to have an investment impact in the area of $1.25bn. Officials said Arena Del Rio will generate 264,460 jobs — representing approximately 16% of Barranquilla’s population — which are divided into 34,540 direct and 229,920 indirect Reports suggest Arena Del Rio could become the new home of the Colombian national football team and Junior de Barranquilla, the current Colombian club football champions.
