EnergyTop Stories
GBO_Paraguay

Go Green with GBO: All you need to know about Paraguay’s ‘Smart Arena’

People will be aware that Smart Arena is located in Paraguay when they discuss it

There are no indications that the post-COVID live entertainment boom will slow down, since more performers are expanding their tours internationally and into areas they had not previously thought of. One of those areas is South America, whose stadiums and arenas are expanding quickly along with the live industry, to the point where performers may soon think twice about travelling there.

Smart Arena, a 15,000-seat, cutting-edge facility close to Asunción, the country’s capital, aims to be the first sustainable arena in South America and is part of Paraguay’s efforts to enter the mix and establish itself as a popular travel destination.

It will be a component of a 14-acre entertainment complex that the neighbouring community may enjoy every day, complete with retail stores, a museum, and green spaces. The edifice, which is expected to cost USD 200 million, will be next to the recently constructed Héroes del Chaco Bridge, which spans the Paraguay River and links the cities of Asunción and Nueva Asunción. A lush environment will be all around it.

Event producer Walter Ayala started the initiative, and his idea for a contemporary arena has been simmering since 2017. He established Smart Arena Entertainment with support from the local government and private investors worldwide.

The arena is currently in the early stages of design in collaboration with HOK, an American architecture firm that is one of the leading players in the arena and stadium design industry and has offices all over the world, including one in London that Ayala worked on.

To put his home country on the map for live entertainment, Ayala believes that building the new arena will start in 2025 and be finished by October 2027. Because of its convenient location between Argentina and Brazil, two popular stops for musicians travelling throughout Latin America, Paraguay is a great place for travellers to stop. According to him, the arena would feature premium boxes and suits along with the greatest sound in all of Paraguay.

According to Ayala, the arena’s naming rights are still up for discussion. However, the collaborating business must uphold Net Zero at the end of the name and support the venue’s mission to fight climate change via sustainable practices.

Ayala expressed her excitement and satisfaction at having such international support for this historic endeavour in Paraguay. Our goal is to establish this arena as the first net zero arena in the area and a global model. It is a significant project for our nation since it will make us known globally for the greatest concerts.

Ayala has produced significant events in the live entertainment sector for over 25 years, so she is well aware of the demand for an arena in Paraguay. Because South Americans love soccer so much, there are plenty of stadiums there, and many big names utilise them to bring sizable audiences. However, the region’s unpredictable weather can cause cancellations and cost promoters money when they book outdoor venues.

“[Smart Arena] addresses more than just an infrastructural issue. We will be able to programme concerts similar to those of other big marketplaces with the infrastructure already in place thanks to it,” Ayala stated, while adding, “More travellers and artists will come here. Neither Madonna nor Coldplay have performed here. Here, we have a fantastic chance to support the local economy.”

A few other feasible arenas in the area could only hold 5,000 people and were constructed for athletic events.

Ayala thinks more talented people will come to Smart Arena, particularly those who share his goal of creating an environmentally conscious environment that encourages sustainable lifestyles. The project’s tagline is “Smart Arena Net Zero: Greetings from Sustainable Entertainment.”

To reduce traffic and pollution, Ayala intends to establish parking spaces in the Asunción region where people may leave their cars and take electric buses to the event. By doing this, he aims to persuade locals to think about buying electric automobiles.

Owing to renovations or other uses, Ayala said, “This may be the first arena in the area to be 100% carbon neutral. We’ll be building this from the ground up and aiming for LEED Platinum certification. It is essential to us since this will serve as our State of Liberty and point of reference. People will be aware that Smart Arena is located in Paraguay when they discuss it. That is our desired outcome.”

Ayala wants the venue to be representative of his home country, even though the aesthetics are still being worked out. He wants the designers to draw inspiration from the trees and leaves of the Chaco, a semiarid region west of Paraguay that is home to numerous indigenous groups and is rich in wildlife.

Ayala declared, “The Chaco is very important to me and my nation,” adding that it fosters a sense of rebirth and ties people to the past.

They served as a water source and a haven for refugees during the conflict between Bolivia and Paraguay. Battles are something I have also experienced, and when spring comes, the trees bloom in a sight to behold. The leaf designs will serve as a model for the architects. That is the idea we developed and the point of reference.

The location would serve as a symbol of Paraguay’s economic development. The World Bank claims that during the last 20 years, the country in South America has expanded more quickly than the average for the area. Paraguay, a country rich in natural resources, has grown through its exports of hydropower, cattle, and agricultural products. It is only fair that the nation’s capital’s first large arena will benefit the environment rather than degrade it.

“This will have a huge societal impact—I promise you that it is a patriotic commitment of ours,” Ayala stated, while adding, “We have a social obligation to work with all the surrounding cultures and communities to demonstrate them sustainable techniques, and we will have more than 1,000 new jobs.”

“[Smart Arena] is our legacy for future generations,” Ayala declared, as he concluded, “We wish to leave behind a fully sustainable stadium where young people may go biking, walking, and later see a show—things that are currently unavailable in our nation.”

Related posts

Saudi Vision 2030: Is Kingdom the next global tech hub?

GBO Correspondent

UAE sees surge in high net worth individuals

GBO Correspondent

Iran’s oil exports continue to thrive despite US sanctions

GBO Correspondent