FLAMENGO PRESIDENCY CANDIDATE, RODRIGO DUSHEE CELEBRATES EXPROPRIATION OF GASÔMETRO LAND

Flamengo and Fluminense finalized the procedures and signed, this Friday, the Maracanã concession contract with the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The duo won the bid to operate and explore the stadium for 20 years.

The concession signing ceremony took place this Friday morning, at Maracanã, with the presence of Rodolfo Landim (president of Flamengo) and Mário Bittencourt (president of Fluminense), shortly after the clubs' elimination in the quarter-finals of the Libertadores.

“This It's a very important day for Fluminense and, certainly, for Flamengo. I come to say that we are very happy to be able to have Maracanã for the next 20 years, alongside our sister club, alongside a club that is our opponent on the field, but which in the last five years has become a great partner outside of it. We have a very good, very cool relationship with a lot of respect and friendship and we successfully managed to win this concession. We respect all processes, whether legal or administrative, and we are very happy” stated the president of Fluminense and Landim added:

“As Mário said, it is a day of great joy. I think it is the culmination of an effort that has been underway for five years. I remember that when we assumed the presidency of Flamengo, we went to the State Government because we needed Maracanã. Maracanã had a series of problems at that time, including maintenance. And this is Maracanã, the symbol of football in the world. Our idea was accepted in April 2019, and Flamengo and Fluminense began managing Maracanã. It was a very long learning process and a partnership with Fluminense, which I would say is practically perfect. We are great opponents on the field, but here at Maracanã we are great partners", concluded the Flamengo.

In addition to the presidents, Cláudio Castro (governor of Rio), Nicola Miccione (secretary of the Civil House), Julio Lopes (federal deputy), Rafael Picciani (secretary of Sports and Leisure), Coronel Menezes (secretary) were present at the event. of State of the Military Police), Maria Cristina Teixeira (financial director of the concessionaire) and Severiano Braga (CEO of Maracanã).

When asked about the interest of Flamengo in building its own stadium in the Gasometer region, Cláudio Castro expressed confidence that Rubro-Negro will complete 20 years of management of Maracanã.

“ There is a contract to fulfill. Once the contract is fulfilled, I cannot now think that in some time there will be non-compliance. This is not the manager's role, this is not the role of whoever is here. Flamengo has a contract, signed a contract and will fulfill the contract until the last day. I don't have the slightest doubt. No one signs the contract to break it. If Flamengo had the responsibility to sign, it is because they will fulfill the contract until the next day. So far, in five years, everything that Flamengo and Fluminense signed has been fulfilled 100%. I have no reason to suspect that this will not be fulfilled”, stated the governor of Rio.

Earlier this month, the clubs registered the Specific Purpose Society (SPE) of the Fla-Flu Consortium, called Fla-Flu Serviços S.A, at the Commercial Board of the State of Rio de Janeiro, with responsibility for managing the entire Maracanã Complex, which includes the stadium, gym, parking lots and other equipment.

Since April 2019 , Flamengo and Fluminense have shared management of Maracanã through a Term of Permission of Use, which is valid until the end 2024. The economic division of the company between the partners is 65% for Flamengo and 35% for Fluminense.

This implies that revenues, profits, losses and other obligations will be distributed according to this proportion, although each club manages the results of its own matches as home team. The concession contract provides for significant investments, in accordance with the specifications assumed by the clubs. Of the total of R$ 393 million to be invested in works and maintenance over the next 20 years, R$ 255.5 million will go to the red-blacks and R$ 137.5 million to the tricolors.

Sesc RJ Flamengo has kicked off the 2024/2025 season. With a victory over Maringá by 3 sets to 0, partials of 25/19, 25/23 and 25/22, in Santo Ângelo, Rio Grande do Sul, coach Bernardinho's team came out ahead in the dispute for the triangular cup, which also includes Minas.

Rubro-Negro will return to the court on Friday (27.09), at 8pm, against Minas Gerais, who are the current Superliga champions, and need another victory to secure the cup. In preparation for the long season ahead, Sesc RJ Flamengo celebrated the result, but knows that they still need to acquire rapport and gain rhythm in the game to achieve their goals.

"It was the first match of the season The team is still getting to know each other. We had a lot of team errors, but it was worth the victory. Brie arrived from Canada three days ago. Another story. Minas is coming off a tournament against teams like Praia Clube, Mackenzie and Brasília, and we still have to improve a lot", said Bernardinho.

The commander sent setter Brie, the wingers, to the court. Helena and Michelle, the opposite Edinara, the central players Lorena and Juju and the libero Laís.

And blocking was an important weapon for Sesc RJ Flamengo throughout the match, especially in the decisive stretch of the second set, when the Cariocas needed to turn the score around. Lorena took the trophy for best on court and Juju, another highlight of the triumph, highlighted the importance of the result.

"It was very important that we came out with the victory, as we have an almost completely renewed team and we are building, Every day, a more solid group, with a lot of work. We need the whole team to be united to be able to do well in all competitions", said Juju.

A judicial battle for Gasologista land, sold at auction by Flamengo for construction from your stadium, is far from over. The Union requested that the process be reversed to the Federal Court, alleging that the expropriation carried out by the city of Rio de Janeiro created a loss of more than R$1 billion to the Severance Indemnity Fund (FGTS), the sole shareholder of the Employment Fund. Porto Maravilha Real Estate Investment (FII PM), managed by Caixa Econômica Federal (CEF).

Caixa estimates a loss of R$1.084 billion with the expropriation. The bank estimates a value of R$240.5 million for the Gasometer land and R$843.3 million for the use of Cepacs (certificates of additional construction potential) that the City Hall had assigned to the land. The information is from the portal 'Mundo Rubro-Negro'

“Masterplan expected the consumption of up to 602 thousand Cepacs in the Gasometer, which at the average unit value of R$ 1,400.83, represents R$ 843, 3 million. Thus, the potential impact of the expropriation is R$1.084 billion, without considering the amount that the FII Porto Maravilha will receive as compensation for the expropriation. In this sense, the expropriation promoted has direct repercussions on the FGTS and in relation to all Brazilian workers linked to the aforementioned fund”, stated the General Attorney's Office of the Union in the petition it filed in the expropriation process, which is taking place in the State Court.

In the calculation, Caixa does not count on the R$ 138.2 million deposited in court by Flamengo for the city hall to pay the expropriation to the Bank. After a response made by CEF, the State Court ordered an inspection to be carried out on the land to assess a fair value for it. The deadline for completion is 15 days. Flamengo approved a bond insurance if you have to pay more than stipulated in the auction notice if the price is changed by the judiciary.

Despite the uncertainty, Flamengo and City Hall must sign this Friday (16) the promise of purchase and sale, which marks the beginning of the 18 months, foreseen in the auction notice, for the presentation of the executive project of the stadium, by the Club. To do this, an assessment will have to be made on the contamination of the land, which for years housed the Gasometer while it was still active, which made the soil in the area harmful to health without decontamination.

In leaked audio of Eduardo Paes in conversation with Flamengo partners, including former President Eduardo Bandeira de Mello, the Mayor guarantees that he did not cause any losses to the FII PM and even accused Caixa of fraud for artificially increasing the price of the land and making the sale unfeasible.

“I hope Caixa Econômica doesn't try to lie, because this mayor here isn't stupid or anything. And we have several purchase and sale contracts for the real estate fund at value. Caixa negotiated the land and CEPAC for the private sector, to try to sell it to build buildings. And then, the CEPAC price of the property was very balanced. The square meter of land there was very balanced. Soon, when Flamengo's story begins, Caixa throws the price per square meter to the moon, and lowers the price of CEPAC. They were the ones committing fraud. They were transforming an artificial square meter number there to try to overvalue and make Flamengo's purchase of the land unfeasible”, stated the mayor.

Caixa alleges misuse of purpose in the expropriation and requests that the auction be annulled. The process is now taking place in two actions, one in the Public Finance Court of the State Court and the other in the 2nd Court of the Federal Court. The dispute is expected to reach the Superior Court of Justice (STJ).