City council approve sale of San Siro to Milan and Inter but crucial vote beckons – the situation

The Milan City Council has approved the resolution for the sale of the San Siro stadium and surrounding areas to AC Milan and Inter.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport write, the positive news was expected and it came this afternoon. The council meeting was scheduled for 14:00 CEST and the announcement came shortly before 17:00 from Deputy Mayor Anna Scavuzzo, a key figure on the stadium issue these days.

“The council has favourably examined the proposal that will be presented to the commission and the council. It has been an important undertaking, and I thank the City Council for providing us with the framework to build this process, in ongoing dialogue,” she said.

Scavuzzo revealed that the vote was not unanimous: “There was extensive debate, and Councillor Elena Grandi expressed a negative opinion.” This is the Councillor for the Environment and Parks, confirming that the environmental issue is a key concern for those who oppose the major construction project.

What happens next?

The council resolution – a 159-page document including plans – will be discussed in the council committees, specifically the Institutional Affairs and Metropolitan City, Urban Regeneration, Mobility, Environment, Green Spaces & Animals and Sport, Tourism, Youth Policies & Wellbeing Policies committees.

A vote in the council will take place at the end of the month, likely between September 25th and 29th. The big question is whether the majority will hold: Mayor Sala favours the sale, but the majority is divided, and the Greens have always been the main opponents.

If the Council says no, San Siro will remain standing, while Milan and Inter will have to find another solution. Milan have already invested €55m in the San Donato area, on the southern edge of the city, but it likely wouldn’t have the financial resources to undertake such a costly project alone.

It’s no coincidence that everyone likes the new San Siro because it allows them to share the costs. Could Inter, in that case, move to San Donato with Milan? Possibly, but so far they’ve never made an official move in this direction.

If the Council says yes, however, a series of appeals from opponents is a given. Protests are already expected in the coming days. Political tensions surrounding San Siro will be higher than ever in the next two weeks.