CorSera: Milan and Inter get positive San Siro news with €197m sale agreed – the next steps

AC Milan and Inter’s hopes of building a new stadium were given a big boost by the news that arrived on Tuesday.

As Corriere della Sera (via MilanNews) reports, the words from Milan’s Mayor – Giuseppe Sala – have ignited hopes of finally seeing the sale of San Siro to Milan and Inter approved, ready for demolition and reconstruction of the new stadium.

The mayor stated on a radio show: “Tomorrow [today], the resolution for the sale of San Siro and the areas surrounding the stadium should be brought before the city council because, in effect, we have reached an agreement with the clubs.” Could this finally be the right time?

What happens next

The paper confirms that the City Council will meet today at the city hall and approve the sale of the stadium area. The total price of the transaction will be the one established by the Revenue Agency: approximately €197m.

Of this, €22m will be contributed by the Council, which has managed to relieve itself of the burden of the demolition and redevelopment costs, estimated at approximately €12m, thus lightening its financial burden.

The co-participation will therefore cover the reclamation of the affected areas and the reconstruction of the Patroclo tunnel. In any case, this will only be the first step. After that, the real ‘Wild West’ showdown will be represented by the vote.

Despite the various controversies, the expected rejections in the Council shouldn’t be enough to block the project. A helping hand could also come from the opposition, with former mayor Letizia Moratti promising her party’s votes in the name of a major investment for Milan, worth €1.5bn.

However, one of the most important things is currently missing: the plan for the stadium. It is known that the site will include green spaces, a hotel, a shopping centre, a museum and other things. It is unclear what the stadium will look like, though architect Norman Foster has been entrusted.

The guidelines are known: it will address the needs for comfort, accessibility, safety, the depth of the stands, better seating, areas for families, sectors accessible at all points to people with disabilities and facial recognition at the entrance.

As Sala himself stated, the new stadium must be ready by 2031 because UEFA have told the city of Milan that they will not consider them as a host venue for the 2032 European Championships, if San Siro remains as their main stadium.