Roma working at “great speed” on new stadium plans

AS Roma chief executive Pietro Berardi said the Italian Serie A club and local authorities are working with “great speed” on plans for a new stadium.

Speaking this week, Berardi said discussions continue to take place over finance for the project, and paid tribute to the support of Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri.

Berardi did not comment on reports that Populous – the team behind Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – is to design the Roma stadium, which is set to be built in the Pietralata area of the capital and open in 2027.

“For the moment I can only congratulate Mayor Gualtieri’s administration because it believes a lot in this stadium project,” Berardi told reporters.

“We are working in sync and we are trying to work with great speed, respecting all the necessary steps. Building a stadium today in Italy is very complicated.”

Berardi also added details about the guiding philosophy behind the arena, which would see the club relocate from Stadio Olimpico.

He said: “The characteristics of this project to convince the city and the administration are enclosed in a few words: the first is urban redevelopment. We have looked for an area that can be redeveloped, an area where public transport already exists.

“Second thing: the sustainability of the project, then how it is built, the acoustics. Third: it must be a modern stadium. We have travelled all the stadiums in the world, everywhere the stadiums are beautiful.”

Earlier this week, local reports claimed Roma owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, have hired Populous to develop plans for the stadium. Populous told TheStadiumBusiness that it would not comment on speculation.

Roma Press claims: “Populous will work to provide the Friedkins with the most innovative and sustainable concept design meant to promote club and international football, and become a staple in Roma’s brand under the new ownership.”

In July, Roma confirmed that it plans to build a new stadium in the Pietralata district. It said the Roma Capitale administrative body “positively acknowledges” the willingness of the club to present a feasibility study to build a new stadium on the 47,000-square-metre site. Reports claim the club wants the stadium to have a capacity of between 55,000 and 60,000.