Rio Olympic Park transfiguration plans

Image: Rio de Janeiro’s (Brazil) Olympic Park, André Motta/brasil2016.gov.br, CC BY 3.0 br

A 360 degree change will be brought about to Rio de Janeiro’s (Brazil) Olympic Park and it is all set to be transformed into a wide-ranging entertainment complex.

‘CNN BRASIL’ stated that the above metamorphosis plans are part of a deal struck between the Rock in Rio Music Festival (biennial Brazilian multiday music festival) and Genial Investimentos. The complex, dubbed Projeto Imagine, will include an amusement park, gastronomic center, museum, and an ice-skating rink.

The Barra Olympic Park, originally the City of Sports Complex, is a cluster of nine sporting venues in Barra da Tijuca in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The park, which served as the Olympic Park for the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer Paralympics, was originally built for the 2007 Pan American Games consisting of three venues. The complex was later expanded to nine venues for the Olympics, two of which are temporary structures and became the site of the Olympic Training Center.

The Genial Investimentos is a financial group with offices in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and affiliates in New York and Miami (US). The firm provides a wide range of products and services in structured finance, financial advisory, mergers and acquisitions, asset management, credit, and private equity investments.

‘CNN BRASIL’ further stated that scheduled to open in three to four years, the Projeto Imagine is already considered to be the “largest entertainment complex in Latin America”.

The above announcement was made recently and it is expected that in the first year of operation it will generate an economic impact of R$9.2 billion in the City of Rio de Janeiro and create 140,000 jobs. The project is being backed by Rock World, the same company behind the Rock in Rio Music Festival owned by businessman Roberto Medina along with Genial Investimentos.

According to a study by the Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV – one of the top private universities in São Paulo, Brazil), in a decade Imagine will generate R$11.8 billion in taxes and a total economic impact of R$91.4 billion.

Maintained Medina, “We will use all our expertise to frame, along with the Municipal, State and Federal Government authorities, a policy that makes tourism the mainstay of the City of Rio de Janeiro as well as of Brazil. We will complete the entertainment district within a time span of three to four years.”

The facilities of the Olympic Park – host of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and, since 2017, the official home of the Rock in Rio Music Festival – will be used. The new venue which will be a part of the entertainment district project will host Carnival, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve parties as well as concerts and various sporting events.
 

Stretch your Imagination:

 

• Imagine Theme Park

A theme park with over 56,000 m² including a roller coaster called Iron Mountain with lights, fire and water special effects. The park theme will be based on characters from a “distant galaxy” who will convey messages of love and sustainability in a playful manner, as per sources.
 

• Imagine Resort

A 30,000 m² resort with 750 apartments integrated into the complex. It will boast swimming pools on the balconies overlooking the park where holographic projection shows will take place.
 

• Imagine Amphitheater

It will be the largest amphitheater in Latin America with a capacity to hold 40,000 people in a space of 38,000 m².
 

• Imagine Global Village Park

Next to the amphitheater, the Global Village Park will enjoy 57,000 m² of area and will feature agricultural details from the six continents of the world.
 

• Imagine Olympic Museum

A museum dedicated to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games highlighting the achievements of the athletes with interactive and holographic exhibits.
 

• Imagine Creative Hub

Inspired by Miami’s (US) Wynwood and Honolulu’s (Hawai’i, US) Kaka’ako, the former Olympic international broadcast center will be transformed into a 200,000-square-foot innovation and entertainment hub. It will feature a food court, a gaming arena where e-sports competitions will be held and an Ice Village which will come armed with an ice skating rink with chocolate shops and varied attractions.

Known for its many colorful murals, Wynwood is one of Miami’s most happening districts. The Wynwood Walls is an outdoor museum showcasing large-scale works by some of the world’s best-known street artists. The surrounding streets have converted warehouses housing craft breweries and funky art galleries. A hip young crowd frequents the neighborhood’s chic clothing boutiques, stylish bistros and late-night bars.

Kaka’ako in Hawai’i is a hip area known for its vibrant food scene. The juice bars and casual eateries serving craft beer and Hawaiian farm fare fill the complex while the Kaka’ako Farmers’ Market sells coconuts and local coffee.
 

• Imagine Rita Lee Park

The Rita Lee Park will be transformed into a forest. The site has a skate park, climbing wall, multisport courts, a gym for the senior citizens, a playground, a bike rack, and a fountain.
 

• Imagine Brazil 360 Experience

It will offer an immersive experience with a huge 360o light-emitting diode (LED) screen equipped with tech bells and whistles narrating the stories of the Brazilian Cities.
 

• Imagine Office Tower

It will be a corporate space overlooking the lagoon, the sea and the mountains with offices for creative companies, startups and coworking spaces.
 

• Imagine Rock in Rio 40 Years and Forever

Rock in Rio now has a permanent venue which will house the largest event park in the country with a capacity for 100,000 people in 385,000 m² with the infrastructure tailormade for staging festivals and international shows. There will also be the Rock in Rio Factory, a place for visitors to learn about the various stages which finally culminates in the hosting of a major music act.
 
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