Arena Market: Peru

If the dream of so many aspirational cities in South America is to cut through the politics, the funding gaps, and the planning difficulties to secure a modern indoor arena, the 11m-strong Peruvian capital of Lima is dreaming more intently than most.

A stalwart of the Latin touring scene, with a significant middle class, it represents a notably eager market, and given the presence of Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia across the border, it also draws an increasingly international crowd to top events.

But if there is no multi-use bricks-and-mortar arena, and no apparent plans for one, there are some very enterprising alternative options. One Entertainment’s Arena 1, a $6m mobile geodesic structure on the Costa Verde seafront of Lima’s San Miguel district, opened in May 2022 as a solution to the city’s dire need for arena-sized venues.

It can take 20,000 spectators, with various configurations enabled by mobile bleachers. Since opening, Arena 1 has held more than 130 events and welcomed nearly 800,000 guests, with Luis Fonsi, Ádammo, The Black Keys, and Emmanuel among recent attractions.

Just along the coast is the Multiespacio Costa 21, an 18,000-seated, 13,500-standing, outdoor space on the beach. In a busy year, Shawn Mendes, Incubus, Martin Garrix, Rels B, and four nights of Erreway have kept the beach hopping, all the while demonstrating the kind of business a modern arena could do.