I was recently in Recife and was surprised to see how much is going on there, in terms of getting ready for the World Cup: new ball park being built, renovation of the avenues that link the interstate with the city/airport and the nearby beaches, new tram/subway stations, hospitality industry workers getting subsidized language classes, among other things.
http://www.estadao.com.br/estadaodeh...mp693112,0.php
REC is a pretty decent airport already, apparently operating under capacity.