Handover of keys and flag raising! On Thursday morning (3), Flamengo president Rodolfo Landim, president Lula and Rio mayor Eduardo Paes participated in a video conference meeting to formalize the ownership agreement for the Gasômetro land, where the club's future stadium will be built. The conversation took place at the Rio Operations Center (COR), in Cidade Nova.

Officials and the press then proceeded to the "handover of the keys" ceremony for the land, on Rua São Cristóvão. Federal Deputy Pedro Paulo represented Paes, who is barred from participating in political events by electoral law, as he is campaigning for reelection. After a press conference, the Flamengo flag was raised on the land, to the sound of the club's anthem, played by the Rio Municipal Guard band.

Also present at the meeting representing Rio de Janeiro City Hall were Rio's Secretary of Government Coordination, Jorge Arraes; Rio's Municipal Secretary of Sports, Guilherme Schleder; Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Paulo; and the Municipal Attorney General, Daniel Bucar. Serving alongside Lula were Federal Attorney General Jorge Messias and Esther Dweck, Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services. Speaking alongside Landim on behalf of Flamengo were Rodrigo Dunshee, Vice President of General and Legal Affairs; Marcos Bodin, Vice President of Assets; Marcos Braz, Vice President of Football; Diogo Lemos, Vice President of the President's Office; Gustavo Oliveira, Vice President of Communications and Marketing; Aleksander Santos, Director of Government Relations; Cacau Cotta, Director of Institutional Relations; and Bernardo Monteiro, Director of Communications.

Check out some statements from the authorities:

President Landim

"I personally thank Mayor Eduardo Paes, who played a key role in reallocating construction potential, with the city's own funding to supplement the land value from Caixa Econômica Federal. I am eternally grateful to him, who understood the importance of this stadium, not only for our fans, but also for the development of this area of ​​the city. It's hard to say if it's the greatest legacy of my administration, but I'm very happy to deliver it. The next step is to survey the site, put together the basic design, and apply for all the necessary permits. This phase should take up to two years, hopefully less, and then the construction period begins. Our idea is, like what we have at the training center, to place a 50-meter-high flagpole with a large flag in the middle of the lot, so everyone who passes by can see that this is our land. I'm sure our fans are very happy to realize this dream of our stadium. It's one of the most special days of my administration. We will soon launch the virtual brick project for anyone who wants to contribute to the stadium's construction. We will have scoreboards, panels, Displaying the name of those who contribute during the construction period and afterward inside the stadium. The name of those who contribute will be permanently registered at Flamengo's stadium."

Vice President Rodrigo Dunshee

"It's a great joy to be here today. I want to thank Flamengo's board members. I also need to thank Mayor Eduardo Paes, President Lula, and President Landim. We've reached the final agreement, we have the keys in our hands, and the land is ours. Let's go, Nation! This is a historic moment!"

President Lula

"Yesterday I watched the game in bed with my wife, much happier than I am. I wish Flamengo the best of luck, but I don't wish them better luck in football because they're facing Corinthians (laughs). I want to congratulate Flamengo and Eduardo Paes, who behaved fantastically at this stadium. I'm fulfilling something I promised: a very special treatment for Rio de Janeiro. I'm here alongside the Attorney General of the Union, Minister Jorge Messias, and Esther Dweck, Minister of Management and Innovation in Public Services, and I thank them too."

Mayor Eduardo Paes

"It's a day of great joy, speaking as mayor of the city. Flamengo is a Rio de Janeiro and Brazilian institution that represents a quarter of the country's population. This project meets a city need: the recovery of a region that has been degraded for so long. I am immensely grateful to President Lula; this partnership is very important, decisive, and the result of much negotiation. The city will benefit greatly from this. Now that Flamengo has possession of the land, we have some legal measures ahead of us; I will still submit a bill to the city council for a vote. But as of today, the Gasômetro land belongs to the Red-Black Nation."