The recognition of public interest arrives for the new As Roma stadium to be built in the Pietralata district. The council of Roma Capitale voted the resolution as announced by the mayor Roberto Gualtieri, on 7 February 2023, in a press conference in the Campidoglio in the presence of the CEO of the Giallorossi company Pietro Berardi. The private investment for the work will be 600 million and at the moment, as Berardi specified, “the Friedkin family wants to be the sole owner of the project”. We aim for 2027 for the inauguration, on the centenary of the foundation of the Capitoline team.
Mayor’s announcement
«We are satisfied – explained the mayor – we have chosen to be sober, concrete and effective to respect the times and put the city in a position to have a work that is also an opportunity to redevelop a quadrant with great potential and which is placed in the mending urban area of the quadrant with pedestrian paths, green areas, adaptation of Metro stations such as Quintiliani. It is a technologically advanced plant and an opportunity for economic and social development that we carry forward convinced that the prescriptions will be faced positively by society and that we can get to the end of a path that has stalled several times in the past and close a piece of the our vision”. As for the process, Gualtieri specified that “in Italy it is not very common to respect the dates. All the documentation was presented on October 3, the analysis closed on January 10 and now we are here for the public interest resolution. Respecting the dates shows everyone how convinced we are of this project. We are in the times. After the services conference, the resolution will now go to the classroom and with its final approval we will go to the executive project phase and take into account the requirements. From the services conference, prescriptions emerged on the allocation of parking spaces, calculated on the maximum capacity of 62 thousand spectators and ensuring that they are adequate, and then ensuring public transport because it is an important area, with Fs and metro, and soft mobility with the cycle path. The resolution foresees everything and the project will have to incorporate them».
Investment and charges
The councilor for urban planning of Roma Capitale Maurizio Veloccia clarified the economic scope of the intervention: «We are talking about a private investment of 600 million. In detail, this concerns 528.39 million investments, of which 360.32 for works and safety, 128 for available sums and 40 for concession fees. The latter may go for infrastructural works, be destined for road and environmental works, or even with deduction works. The public debate is a moment for us not only to dispel doubts and criticisms about the stadium, we want to open discussions with the city, the fans, the inhabitants of the neighborhood and the city. Every great work has someone who does not agree, we will take the necessary time, we will also make use of external professionals but it will be a serious process and we are confident of convincing, within the maximum 4 months envisaged, even those who are against it».
The yellow and red club
«It’s an important day, the Friedkins believe a lot in this project, they believe it can project us into the Olympus of European football. The Friedkin family wants to be the sole owner of the project», Berardi specified, answering those who asked him about the possible entry of other investors. As for the project, Berardi observed that «we already have some answers on parking. We are also talking about it with the railways, the details will be part of the final project. The clarity of the opinions of the 35 bodies involved tells us that it is impossible to say that we are not working on it, the team is already working on this. A transparent approach with the city is very important».
Attractive pole
«We are sure that this working climate will guarantee us an easy transition from the Feasibility phase to that of the Definitive Project – Berardi said again -. With this first milestone – achieved in record time – we will be able to provide the city of Rome, the club and the fans with a cutting-edge, modern and sustainable infrastructure that will have no equal in Italy and Europe. It is a project strongly desired by the owners and management in the belief that a facility such as the one we hope to be able to build will relaunch the club and the city in the Olympus of world football, on a par with what happens in other European capitals, where the sports and sports facilities become a further attraction for tourists, sportsmen and fans. Furthermore, always together with the Public Administration, we will establish all the next steps, in compliance with the legislation and the needs of the territory. In choosing the area, in fact, we thought a lot about the city context. It will be an innovative and sustainable structure that will allow the club to identify itself more and more with the city. An attractive pole for citizens, fans and tourists which will have a reduced impact and which will allow for the creation of a new and vibrant urban space”.