Companies are lining up to bid on R$200M ($96.8M) worth of contracts for about 600,000 seats needed for 2014 World Cup stadiums, according to Tatiana Freitas of FOLHA DE S. PAULO. The days of sitting on "concrete blocks" to watch football games in Brazil will soon be over. The 2014 World Cup "will open a new era in Brazilian stadiums." Prior to the World Cup, 12 large stadiums will be built or remodeled, "presenting a demand of approximately 600,000 new stadium seats." There are at least 20 companies, domestic and foreign, looking to secure at least one contract in this R$200M ($96.8M) market. British company Bluecube which provides seats for large arenas including the new Olympic stadium in London, has formed a joint venture with Brazilian company Nöra which specializes in corporate furniture. President of Bluecube Robert Plant said, "It is essential to work with local partners, to understand the market, relationships, and to offer post sale services such as maintenance and replacement of parts" (FOLHA DE S. PAULO, 6/17).
