Antelo promised new investments in the ribbon cutting at the Decathlon sports store in Car One

The French chain of sports stores Decathlon opened its first store in Uruguay at Car One, a commercial space of more than 1,600 square meters with more than 2,300 items in more of 65 sports. The project, run by businessmen Manuel Antelo, Sabine Mulliez (a member of the company's founding family) and Pedro Aguirre Saravia, directly employs 40 people and entailed an investment of US$ 3.5 million.

The inauguration was attended by the secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado, the mayor of Canelones, Yamandú Orsi< /b>, among other national, community and foreign authorities, such as the Ambassador of France, Jean-Paul Seytre. The event also brought together businessmen from Uruguay and Argentina, among them the founder of Mercado Libre, Marcos Galperin.

In his speech prior to the ribbon-cutting, Antelo said he was "fulfilling a dream" by bringing Decathlon to Uruguay, a brand he met 18 years ago when he went to live in Europe with his family. "It was love at first sight," he said.

The Argentine businessman highlighted that the brand offers products for the whole family, with a "giant offer" based on quality, design, aesthetics, variety and good price, which "is key to democratizing the sport."

After this first step of Decathlon in Uruguay, Antelo promised that the store is already planning an expansion because the store is even "relatively small" by the brand's standards .

In the next two weeks, the Car One complex will open new commercial and gastronomic premises that will employ around 500 people.

Antelo, who has already invested in Uruguay with Car One, the Santa Rosa group and the Nordex plant, promised that he will continue to develop business in Uruguay, where he has lived for some years. "I assure you that I am going to continue investing in Uruguay," he remarked.

In addition, he pointed out the arrival of the French brand as a "beacon" because it puts "Uruguay on the radar of large companies." "This opens the doors for other large companies to come. Our responsibility is to bring other brands," he said.

"For that we have to sell Uruguay abroad and that doesn't cost me anything," said Antelo, and underlined Uruguay's strengths as a destination for doing business, such as economic stability and its institutional values.

"I think this can't fail, I think it will be a success from start to finish", he closed.

For his part, the mayor of Canelones, Yamandú Orsi, welcomed the sports brand to the department and thanked the investors for "making the department a place with more work."

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado, stressed that this point in Canelones has become a "service and commercial hub." "This is a development pole that also has to do with work and investment," he said.

Beyond aspects such as legal certainty, political stability and respect for institutions, "other things must be offered," said Delgado, mentioning as examples the actions that the Municipality of Canelones and the national government have been carrying out to promote investments. He also pointed out the country's management of the coronavirus pandemic through "responsible freedom".

Finally, Delgado said that the arrival of international brands generates "pride, support, tranquility and also the challenge of not disappointing". "When these brands begin to establish themselves, Uruguay continues to climb steps on the global ladder" to generate employment and prosperity.