A 400-million bet

GL Events invests on the São Paulo Expo believing in the potential of business tourism in São Paulo and in Brazil

Very soon we will have in São Paulo the largest and most modern exhibition pavilion of Brazil, a pavilion that fulfillsthe importance of the city in the market of business tourism inside the country. Works, which are going on in an accelerated pace, have their conclusion foreseen for next April. TheSão Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Center will have a first-world structure, a daring architectural design and wide and comfortable installations, starting from the garage with 4,500 parking spaces.

The project is the result from investments of approximately R$ 400 million, to be spent till the end of 2017. This is the highest investment in the history of GL Events—a group of French origin that is more than 35 years old andis currently present in 19 countries—which acquired the concession of the formerCentro de Exposições Imigrantes.

The new Convention Center, that will occupy an area of 100,000 sq.mt.—the highest covered area in Brazil—was designed to receive not only trade shows but also national and international corporative events as well as cultural, sport and entertainment events. To fulfill these features, the GL Group is carrying out the refurbishment of approximately 40,000 sq.mt. in the existing pavilions and is building more 50,000 sq.mt. of new pavilions. As well as the convention center, these buildings are points established in the concession contract.This contract also foresees changes in the access way system, in accordance with the municipal act that enforces any large project that generates traffic demand to present road solutions for this additional demand, investing in access ways.

What was not programmed but was carried out by GL at its own expenses was the garage building with more than 4500 parking spaces and with all features of a modern parking area. The contractof concession demanded a quite lower number of spaces but GL decided to install a higher quantity to ensure more comfort to the visitors. In addition, GL is installing a power generating central to attend the power consumption needs of the complex. This co-generating plant also was not part of the original project.

New and refurbished pavilions will be fully air-conditioned and enlightened with LEDs. They will have a system for water reuse for the restrooms and will work with power and conditioned air powered by a natural gas cogenerating system, ensuring respect to the environment.

Exhibition environments will be 10 and 14 m high and will have a span of 72 x 54 m between pillars, the largest of Latin America in a convention center.Floor resistance will be a lot above that of the market: 3000 kg/sq.mt.,what will allow the SP Expoto receive in its installations heavy equipment for trade shows and exhibitions of industrial, agricultural and heavy construction industries, among others.

With works finished, the garage building has six floors and a total area of100,000 sq.mt. In its construction, theConstrutora Fonseca &Mercadanteused precast concrete slabs and foundations with continuous flight augers with diameter of 50 and 60 cm, and maximum individual load capacity of 100tfto 130tfdriven to depths varying between 20 and 26 meters.