When you hear public official saying “it was a mistake to build this stadium”, you know the problem is serious. And so, for the next 35 years, football will be at best secondary for the Brazilian national stadium.

Globally this stadium is most famous for being a bus depot. Quite a collapse for the most recent World Cup venue. And though we've already debunked the bus depot claims as sensationalist, situation of Estadio Nacional de Mane Garrincha is indeed quite dire.

It was always certain it wouldn't recoup the massive construction cost of R$1.57 billion ($474 million), greater than that of any other Brazilian stadium. However, even basic maintenance cost is too much to cover from the limited use provided. With almost 73,000 seats the stadium saw periods of several months (7 months is its record) of no major use between games last year.

Altogether this led the authority managing it to call the entire stadium a mistake. “The strategic decision to build the stadium was wrong.” says Julio César de Azevedo Reis, president of Terracap, the Federal District's real estate authority. A study commissioned by Terracap suggested the building could at best recoup 12% of its initial price within a century.

There is a 'plan b' being implemented now, however. The white elephant will be taken over by Arena BSB, a consortium formed by RNGD and Amsterdam ArenA. Arena BSB will pay R$5 million annually and provide all maintenance funds ($13 million), thus relieving public authorities from the burden. Terracap will only pay taxes for the stadium building.

In return Arena BSB will transform the stadium's direct perimeter, particularly in the north. Some 70,000 square meters will be taken by new running track, tennis/basketball courts, amphitheater and numerous entertainment/commercial buidlings. The goal is to create a major leisure destination for the wealthy populous of Brasilia.

As for the stadium itself, it's expected that it will shift its focus to concerts and other non-sporting events for the next 3.5 decades. In order to secure contracts for major events Arena BSB is working with Capical Live, a subsidiary of WTorre for events, which managed to make another Brazilian stadium, Allianz Parque, one of the world's most-used concert and football venues.