Estádio Benito Agnelo Castellano
Soccer stadium in Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Estádio Benito Agnelo Castellano, sometimes known as Benitão, is a multi-use stadium in Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil. It is used mostly for football matches, and has a maximum capacity of 8,136 people.
Benitão | |
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 Interactive map of Benito Agnelo Castellano | |
Full name | Estádio Benito Agnelo Castellano |
|---|---|
Former names | Estádio Gigantão do Copacabana (1972–1973) |
| Location | Rio Claro, SP, Brazil |
| Coordinates | 22.418155938605462°S 47.55651049470814°W |
| Owner | City of Rio Claro |
| Operator | Velo Clube |
| Capacity | 8,136[1] |
| Surface | Natural grass |
Record attendance | 15,000+ (Velo Clube 1–0 São José-SP, 17 December 1978)[2] |
Field size | 105 by 66 metres (114.8 yd × 72.2 yd) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1971–1972 |
| Opened | 7 September 1972 |
| Renovated | 1978, 2009 |
| Tenant | |
| Velo Clube | |
History
Built in 1972 in the place of a demolished stadium, the new stadium was initially named Gigantão do Copacabana, named after the neighborhood of Copacabana where it was located.[2] The stadium was inaugurated on 7 September 1972, in a match between Velo Clube and Palmeiras, and despite suffering a 4–1 loss, the first goal of the stadium was scored by Velo Clube forward Bertinho Traina.[2]
The stadium was only named Benito Agnelo Castellano in 1973, honouring the man who contributed greatly to Velo Clube during the past decades.[2] Initially a property of Velo, the stadium was sold to the city of Rio Claro in 2008.[3]
In 2024, after Velo Clube's promotion to the 2025 Campeonato Paulista, a project of expansion to a capacity of 10,000 people started.[4] In December of that year, a new lighting system was installed.[5]
