Arena Universidad Santiago de Cali expects to hold 46 performances in 2025

The entertainment and creative industries in Colombia already contribute nearly 3% of the national GDP, according to figures from the National Association of Financial Institutions (ANIF), and their impact is even greater in culturally active regions like Valle del Cauca.

In this context, the USC Arena, inaugurated last December, is emerging as a catalyst for Cali's cultural economy , with a balance that reflects both artistic dynamism and economic impact.

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This venue, founded by the Universidad Santiago de Cali, has already hosted 22 concerts in nine months of operation, and its directors project to close 2025 with 46 events. Each performance has a multiplier effect that transcends the musical: it boosts tourism, invigorates the hotel industry, strengthens commerce, and increases consumption in transportation, gastronomy, and complementary services. According to the National Statistics Institute (DANE), a cultural tourist in Colombia spends an average of between $1.2 and $1.5 million per visit, including tickets, accommodation, and food. If this is multiplied by the thousands of attendees who attend these types of events, the real impact that the USC Arena is beginning to have on Cali's economy becomes clearer. The venue, whose construction represented an investment of more than $100 billion, is the result of a partnership between academia and the private sector, as it is operated by Arecol SAS.

This model not only created a first-class cultural space, but also symbolizes a new management paradigm where education, economics, and culture converge to transform Cali into a creative epicenter. As Carlos Fernández, CEO of the company, affirms, the USC Arena embodies the commitment to generating sustainable synergies capable of boosting the regional economy, enriching the artistic experience, and projecting the city toward a global stage of competitiveness and cultural innovation.

"Thanks to this collaborative effort, Cali is emerging as an innovative city, driven by the institutional vision of Carlos Andrés Pérez Galindo, rector of the Universidad Santiago de Cali, who has promoted an inclusive development model with a direct impact on the region."

The USC Arena has a capacity for 2,200 people and state-of-the-art technology in lighting , sound and video, which even allows artists to produce their own shows with internationally recognized technical conditions. For entrepreneurs like Hroy Chávez, the USC Arena fills a historical void in Cali because "many times the Cali public was left without enjoying medium-sized shows because there was no suitable venue. This stage expands the city's cultural offerings and generates comfort and logistical advantages for the public and the artists." Event entrepreneur Carlos José Hernández adds that the infrastructure not only transforms the dynamics of the city, but also elevates the spectator experience to a premium level.

With this new scenario, Cali hopes to replicate what has happened in Bogotá and Medellín, where, according to studies by the Chamber of Commerce, each major concert generates an average of more than $20 billion in local transactions.

The USC Arena not only expands the cultural offering, but also strengthens Cali's competitiveness as an event tourism destination, as it is a project that aligns with a creative industries sector that already represents more than 600,000 jobs in the country, many of them concentrated in cultural, audiovisual, and artistic services.

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