America's Cup, in November the portal to manage all supplies
Leslie Ryan, event director, met with companies and listed 141 product categories that will be needed. Estimated impact of 1 billion
by Vera Viola
America's Cup is looking for suppliers of goods. A great opportunity for the territory. Just think that in Barcelona the economic impact was one billion euro with 380 suppliers from the territory, 90% of the total that worked with America's Cup. This was discussed at two meetings held in Naples at the Industrial Union and the Chamber of Commerce.
Leslie Ryan, event director of the America's Cup, shows slides to illustrate to Neapolitan entrepreneurs, and others, what the America's Cup is all about. And he illustrates an initial list of 141 product categories, from water to cars, from nautical aids to paper, which will be needed and for which suppliers are being sought. And he announces: in November a portal will be operational on which all companies wishing to become America's Cup suppliers will be able to register.
The meetings were attended by the mayor, Gaetano Manfredi, the head of the Sports Minister's cabinet Sabrina Bono, Sport and Health CEO Diego Nepi, America's Cup event director Leslie Ryan, and the vice-president of Confindustria Nautica, Marco Monsurrò. Doing the honours in the morning meeting was the president of the Naples Chamber of Commerce Ciro Fiola, and in the afternoon the president of the Unione Industriali Costanzo Jannotti Pecci.
Mayor Manfredi, also extraordinary commissioner for the regeneration of Bagnoli, confirmed that work has begun and set a deadline: May 2026. "We know that times are tight, but we are confident. The economic impact on the city will be incredible: we are talking about a billion euros and several million tourists." A necessary confirmation after a series of critical issues emerged in recent days, including the Campania Region's request for the intervention of Anac.
"We should all be on the same side because this event will be good for the whole city and the region. Everything is taking place in compliance with the law, but we need unity. It is a challenge that we can only win together," said Sabrina Bono of the Ministry of Sport, who once again recalled the Barcelona edition. "Over a billion in economic impact, 208 million in tax revenues, 12,800 seats. Optimism, but also awareness, in the words of Diego Nepi Molineris, managing director of Sport and Health, the state company implementing the project: "We have set ourselves an ambitious goal, May 2026, and we intend to respect it. In Naples we want to do in a year what has not been done in thirty years.
