Rio Stadium Fires 75% Of Workers Eight Months Before 2016 Olympics

Administrators of Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã stadium have fired 75% "of the arena's staff eight months before the 2016 Olympics," according to the AP. The consortium formed by construction company Odebrecht and entertainment group AEG said in a statement on Monday that "40 people were laid off." The stadium, which hosted the 2014 World Cup final, "is to be used for up to nine months by Games organizers, who are bringing in their own workers for that period." Maracanã administrators said that "the layoffs aim to cut costs while the facility is under Olympic control." Administrators also said that "discussions with the Rio state government on a new operating contact are ongoing." Brazilian media has reported that "stadium operations could be returned to the state government" in '17. Another Rio Olympic venue has also "been the subject of unflattering headlines this week." Electricity was cut off at the stadium "where track and field events are to be held" (AP, 1/5).