History
Opened in 1970, the Anhembi complex was managed for decades by São Paulo Turismo (SPTuris) until it was granted to the private sector in 2021 under a 30-year concession. After 15 months of renovation and modernization led by GL events, the venue reopened in June 2024 as Distrito Anhembi, billed as one of the largest event centers in Latin America, spanning 400,000 m² in São Paulo’s North Zone. The complex includes the Convention Center — home to the city’s largest auditorium, seating 20,000 —, the five pavilions of Expo Pavilhões, the Teatro Celso Furtado, and the Passarela Cultural, the Oscar Niemeyer-designed Sambadrome that hosts São Paulo’s carnival every year.
The Experience
For concerts, the main space is Arena Anhembi, an open-air area with capacity for up to 40,000 people, which has already hosted international tours such as Linkin Park’s São Paulo shows in November 2024. The Convention Center and the Sambadrome — with room for up to 103,000 people at major events — also host large-scale concerts and performances. The complex offers official parking with over 5,850 spaces, accessed through Gate 38 on Avenida Olavo Fontoura.