Bologna: the go-ahead has been given for the new 35,000-seat stadium. An investment of 300 million

Bologna will have its new stadium by 2031, a crucial deadline to ensure it is operational should it be selected as one of the seven venues to host the 2032 European Championships (see article above). The (long-awaited) announcement was made yesterday by BolognaFiere and Bologna FC 1909, who have reached an agreement to build a new-generation multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 35,000, a retractable roof and a movable pitch, enabling the city to officially put forward the Emilian capital as a candidate to host the European Championships.

The planned investment is around 300 million euros, of which 200 million are expected to be provided by the two organisers and a further 30 million are expected to come from the government – should the stadium be one of the seven selected for the European Championships – whilst discussions with potential financial partners have already begun regarding the remaining funds. Among the names that have been circulating in recent weeks are the insurance group Unipol (already a partner of BolognaFiere in the construction of a multi-purpose hall within the exhibition centre), as well as the international group Live Nation, an organiser of major events.

In fact, as well as hosting football matches, the venue will also be used to host trade fairs, conferences and major live music events, as explained in a joint statement by the two companies, thanks to the design features of the project – entrusted to architect Eloy Suárez of Studio Shesa and Professor Massimo Majowiecki of MJW Structures – which, as mentioned, includes a retractable roof and a movable playing surface, to ensure that the central area of the arena can be cleared and used for other activities.

The new facility will be built in the northern part of BolognaFiere, an area already earmarked for exhibition centre development under the programme agreement; it will have its own motorway exit and a dedicated railway station, and will be situated close to two ring-road exits and the new tram stop, as well as a substantial number of parking spaces.

The financial commitment is significant for those involved, but so too is the potential that this project opens up: Bologna FC will, in fact, have a new stadium, ‘modern and multi-purpose, capable of enabling Bologna to generate resources over time to ensure greater sporting competitiveness’, explains Claudio Fenucci, the chief executive of the club chaired by Joey Saputo. He adds: “It is a major investment and, in addition to the commitment from BolognaFiere and Joey Saputo, we will need the involvement of investors who share the same vision for the city’s development.”