Unique Legacy Showcased at Carioca Arena 3

(ATR) Former IOC member and Rio 2016 watchdog Gilbert Felli tells Around the Rings the legacy of Carioca Arena 3 is something to be admired.

The arena was inaugurated by Mayor Eduardo Paes on Mar. 6 in a ceremony featuring Brazilian taekwondo athletes and local school children. During the Olympics the 10,000 seat arena will host fencing and taekwondo. After the Games the arena will be transformed into a school that will serve 1,000 kids full-time in the area.

The seats in the arena will be removed to construct 24 classrooms, science labs, and multi-purpose rooms. In addition to the full-time school, social programs in 11 sports will be run by the city to contribute to the sporting legacy of the Arena.

"Now this one, Carioca 3, is a response to a need from the city for a school and then at the same time they can practice sport," Felli said to ATR.

"I cannot remember having had the same setting as here. I think it is a good idea because it is a good mixture of school and added sport every day."

Mayor Paes was enthusiastic about opening the venue, hailing it a "fantastic facility" which is committed to not being a white elephant after the Games.

"In addition to not having cost public money this venue will leave a legacy," Paes said to reporters. "I have a very optimistic view of the Olympics. It's a great effort we've been doing to make sure things have a later use. It is a fantastic facility, and you can see here the legacy of the Games."

Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman called the stadium "spectacular," and said the timing was perfect to celebrate six months until the Paralympic Games.

"I agree with the mayor and think that this arena will be full during the Games, and the people will have spectacular experiences," Nuzman said."Then after that you will have kids studying here and practicing sport and it is a major benefit to our city."

Paes Urges Ticket Sales

Mayor Paes used the inauguration to clarify comments he made earlier in the week that seemed to encourage Brazilians to not purchase Olympic tickets.

On Mar. 2, Paes told reporters that spectators in Rio should not spend money to watch Olympic rowing, since the Lagoa de Freitas can be accessed by public viewing points. Due to budget cuts to the Rio 2016 budget, a floating grandstand will not be built on the lagoon, meaning spectators can see the regatta from the opposite shores.

"Go watch at the border of the lagoon, drinking your beer in peace with your family," Paes was quoted as saying. "Put your beach chair there because you will watch rowing for free."

Paes backtracked from those comments on Mar. 6 saying that he was referring to those who could not secure Olympic tickets. During Olympic organizers' speeches about the Carioca Arena, Mayor Paes took the time to encourage the citizens of Rio to purchase tickets. The latest media reports show that just over half of domestic tickets have be sold, with just over 150 days left until the Opening Ceremony.

"I want everyone to buy tickets to rowing, I wasn’t saying don’t buy tickets," Paes said to reporters.

"I was saying that everyone should buy tickets, but the Olympics are not like the World Cup, and if you don’t have tickets you can still watch some events from the streets. There is no sporting event that is as democratic as the Olympics, but, please, everyone should buy tickets."

Organizers remain confident that tickets will be bought up quickly in the coming months and stress that, in Brazil and other Latin American countries, people do not buy tickets early for events.

"All these countries say we have time, the Games are not for a bit," Felli said to ATR.

"People don’t have the same approach to time until the event comes. I’m fairly confident that in the end the Brazilians will buy the tickets. The economic situation does not help, but we will have full stadiums."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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