Lights Out at Maracana

(ATR) Power has been cut off to the Maracanã stadium, a consequence of the months-long standoff leaving the stadium without an operator.

Rio de Janeiro electric utilities company Light S.A. confirmed to Around the Rings that power had been officially cut this morning. A spokesperson for the company said that utilities "accounts have been in arrears since October" for the iconic stadium.

"The Rio 2016 Committee is negotiating the bills due in September and October 2016, when the stadium was under the responsibility of the Olympic Games, but the Maracanã consortium still hasn’t commented regarding the delays in November and December," the spokesperson said.

"The total debt is about $940,000 [R$ 3 million], but the specific part of the consortium revolves around $410,000 [R$ 1.3 million]."

Maracanã S.A. refused to reassume control of the stadium after the 2016 Olympics due to a dispute with Rio 2016 over repairs needed after the Rio Games. Rio 2016 said the repairs were only cosmetic in nature, where as Maracanã S.A. said the need for repairs violated the organizing committee’s "Terms of Authorization of Use."

The consortium said it would not resume operations until the repairs were completed. As a result, the stadium was left abandoned after a charity match in late December. That lack of an operator led to a degradation of the football pitch, which was without irrigation. Eventually, vandals began looting the stadium as if it were abandoned. Televisions, hoses, fire extinguishers and historical busts were among the items taken.

Cutting off power to the stadium is the latest setback for the Maracanã. It appeared control of the iconic stadium was finally going to be regained after a judge ruled that concessionaire Maracanã S.A. must resume operations on Jan. 14.

A spokesperson for Maracanã S.A. told ATR that it would pay $310,000 [R$1 million] on Jan. 27 for the months of November and December. The spokesperson added that the concessionaire "reassumed the complex by virtue of an injunction" and that responsibilities for the stadium remain for Rio 2016 to sort out.

"The obligation for repairs, as well as public accounts, is the responsibility of the Rio 2016 Committee," the spokesperson said. "The TAU also foresees that Rio 2016 must ‘fully cover the expenses necessary to use the assigned area, such as: water, electricity, sewage, gas, taxes and charges during the period of exclusive use, which has not yet been done."

Rio 2016 director of communications Mario Andrada told ATR that the organizing committee has completed negotiations with Light regarding payments for September and October invoices for the stadium. Andrada insists that Rio 2016 is not at fault for the current situation in the Maracanã, and has acted in good faith through the entire process.

"Odebrecht have been formally notified by Light, yet they insist in blaming Rio 2016 for their shortcomings while the world has seen the Maracanã as never before during the Rio 2016 Games," Andrada said. "For Rio 2016 the Maracanã which was a temple for football is now a temple for all sports. We are proud of that. In the meanwhile for Odebrecht the most iconic stadium in the world is just a business."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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