Italian Serie A football clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan have unveiled fresh details on two proposals to create a new stadium and sports and entertainment district on the site of their current home, the San Siro.
The plans would see part of the current San Siro retained as part of a multi-purpose complex alongside a new 60,000-seat stadium.
The clubs have submitted a preparatory document for the feasibility project to the Municipality of Milan. It follows constructive dialogue between the clubs and the Municipality in accordance with the 16 conditions provided by the Municipality and the City Council in November.
In January, the clubs presented new plans for the future of the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, outlining how the venue better known as the San Siro would be transformed into a destination for sports and entertainment events.
The clubs had previously said they were prepared to work on alternative proposals for the San Siro but maintained their discomfort at retaining the stadium as a venue for professional sports if a new facility is developed.
The city council gave plans for a new stadium a “conditional yes” back in October, with assurances needed on regeneration plans for the San Siro before the proposal is given the all-clear. The development came after the two clubs announced in September that Populous and Manica/Sportium had been shortlisted to design a new 60,000-seat stadium that they would share.
The new concepts designed by Populous and Manica/Sportium provide for the retention of a part of the current San Siro within a new retail and sports district that could be used all year. The district would include about 106,000 square metres of green space and feature retail, sports, cultural and leisure activities, including a running track, cycle path, outdoor gym, skateboard park, five-a-side football pitch and sports museum.
Manica/Sportium:
Populous:
The majority of the sports services would be free for people in Milan and citizens in surrounding areas. In a joint statement, the clubs said that both the Populous and Manica/Sportium concepts would deliver an “innovative district dedicated to the next generation”, with the space to create a new meeting place for social and recreational activities in the neighbourhood.
The statement added: “FC Internazionale Milano and AC Milan believe it is essential, especially in light of the current situation, to commence a project that represents more than one billion euros of private investment, which will generate thousands of new jobs and serve as a cornerstone for the future development of the city of Milan and Italian football.”
The San Siro first opened in 1926 and has undergone several renovations, most notably for Italy’s staging of the 1990 FIFA World Cup. AC Milan has called the stadium home since it opened, while Inter started using the San Siro in 1947.
Images: AC Milan, Populous and Manica/Sportium
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