Four warehouses at Asunción Port, known locally as Puerto de Asunción, are being converted into a new hub for entertainment. The project is backed by an estimated US$6 million in private investment and should be finished before the end of 2026. The Asunción Port Redevelopment marks the first major reactivation of the port since it stopped operating commercially in 2012.
The plan is being carried out through a public-private partnership. The National Navigation and Ports Administration (ANNP), the state body that runs Paraguay’s ports, awarded the contract to Nuevo Mundo Entertainment S.A. through a public tender. Julio César Vera, president of the ANNP, told local media the goal was to generate new income for the institution while giving the port back to the city. The four warehouses involved are known locally as Galpón A, B, C and G, alongside the port’s original dock.
A decade of disuse on Asunción’s waterfront
The port sits at the end of Asunción’s civic and historic axis. This stretch of the city centre links landmark buildings, from the old railway station to the Palacio de López (Government Palace). Speaking at a real estate event in July, architect Andrés Careaga addressed the reconversion of the port. He said it could not be separated from the wider recovery of the historic centre. He noted that the district had lost residents and activity over the years, amid changes to urban conditions, services, transport and security. The port has already hosted other activity linked to the wider historic centre revival, including when vendors from La Recova relocated there temporarily during restoration works.
What each warehouse will offer
Under the plan, each of the four warehouses will be given a distinct function. Warehouse A covers roughly 1,300 m² and is set to house a gym, a sports bar and a bowling alley. It will combine sport, entertainment and food in one space. Warehouse B will focus on commerce and services, with 16 units of varying sizes for businesses such as banks, printing shops and jewellers. It will also include a coworking area of around 128 m². Warehouse C will become a gastronomic hub, with another 16 spaces reserved for restaurants, cafés and food-related businesses.
The largest of the four, Warehouse G, will be the project’s centrepiece. Its main hall covers approximately 3,650 m² and is designed to host concerts, exhibitions, trade fairs and conventions. A second, smaller hall of 460 m² will be used for conferences and training sessions, alongside space for administrative offices. Careaga said the redevelopment as a whole would reuse close to 10,000 m² of existing warehouse space.
Repairing a structure built almost a century ago
Alongside the conversion of the warehouses, the ANNP has carried out structural work on the adjoining dock. The dock was originally built between 1927 and 1929. A technical assessment found corrosion and deterioration in parts of the structure. Vera told local media the damage amounted to a hidden defect that had not been accounted for in the original budget. As a result, the ANNP repaired 78 reinforced concrete pillars and replaced 110 linear metres of concrete beams. The metal structures of the warehouses are also being reinforced to withstand strong winds that regularly affect the bay.
Because the site is protected as cultural heritage, Paraguay’s National Culture Secretariat asked that the identity of the original buildings not be substantially altered. Careaga said the design would preserve the port’s industrial character, keeping elements such as cranes and other original fittings. New public spaces are also planned, including waterfront terraces, squares and outdoor dining areas. These are intended to strengthen the connection between the city and the Paraguay River.
Financial terms and a 20-year concession
Under the agreement, Nuevo Mundo Entertainment will pay the ANNP a fixed annual fee of US$135,000, subject to review after three years. It will also pay a variable fee equal to 10% of the complex’s gross revenue. That variable fee will apply to income from parking, as well as from all shops and activities inside the warehouses. The company has also been granted the right to operate around 808 underground parking spaces beneath nearby government buildings.
A separate open-air car park behind the warehouses will offer space for close to 470 vehicles, covered by a metal roof. After 20 years of operation, all of the infrastructure will revert to the ANNP. The agreement comes amid other significant investment in the area, including a separate US$11 million tender to revitalise Asunción’s historic centre.
When will the Asunción Port redevelopment be finished?
In comments to local media, Vera said Warehouse G was the most advanced of the four and was nearing completion in July. Work continued in parallel on the other three warehouses. The ANNP expects the Asunción Port Redevelopment to be finished between October and November, with the complex fully operational before the end of the year. If the schedule holds, a visit to the port will look very different to what long-term residents remember. A mostly disused historic site will give way to one of the city’s newest venues for entertainment and events.
