State Government on 19 June 1940 founded the (Hydromineral and Climatic Spa of Águas de São Pedro). Despite this, the city celebrates its birthday on 25 July, the date in 1940 of the founding of the first major building in the city, the Grande Hotel (now Grande Hotel São Pedro). The municipality of Águas de São Pedro was incorporated by State Law No.233, of 24 December 1948. Construction of the spa town and urban planning To promote the development and exploitation of the medicinal waters in an economically viable way, Octavio Moura Andrade conceived and designed a city focused on hydrotherapy and residential purposes: a spa town. Águas de São Pedro was created as a hydromineral spa, fully planned and aiming to serve both those who needed treatment and tourists looking for fun and leisure. The urban planner Jorge de Macedo Vieira was chosen to integrate the use of space with the mineral waters, topography, soil, and climate, conducting a two-year-long detailed study of the area prior to designing the city. It was only in 1940 that the project was completed, being recorded in the Real Estate Registry Office of the District of São Pedro under number1, in accordance with the requirements of the Brazilian Federal Decree-Law No.58, of 10 December 1937. As part of this project several buildings were constructed, including a large luxury hotel to welcome tourists, as well as a casino, one of the first in the country with activity regulated by the government. A sanitation system was constructed, with the technical firm Saturnino de Brito from Rio de Janeiro hired to study and control the sanitation system in the area around the Grande Hotel. Several roads were reconstructed, including an road connecting São Pedro to the springs that can handle the traffic of heavy vehicles; construction of an airport (now São Pedro Airport) in a 40-alqueire area (239.2acres, or 96.8ha) with four runways, a departure lounge, electricity, telephone, running water, hangar and refueling station. Energy infrastructure was improved. Because São Pedro's power grid was in disrepair, a private power line was built connecting São Pedro to the construction works of the spa, and in the Grande Hotel was installed an emergency powerhouse with two diesel generators capable of supplying the hotel and the town. Contemporary history After the opening of the spa, tourism gained momentum. The city became one of the members of the Região Turística