Bologna will invest €200m in a renovation project of the Stadio Dall’Ara, as the club signed a deal with Webuild, they announced in an official statement on Thursday.
With a revamped arena, the Rossoblu hope their city to host matches at UEFA EURO 2032, which will be played in Italy and Turkey.
Bologna returned to play in the Champions League this season 60 years after their first participation in the competition, although they are still winless after three games.
Bologna announce €200m renovation project of Stadio Dall’Ara
“Bologna FC 1909 and Webuild have signed an exclusivity deal, lasting until 31 December 2027, for the rights to carry out technical feasibility studies and for the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) renovation and refurbishment of the Stadio Dall’Ara,” an official statement published by Bologna on Thursday read.
“This initiative is part of the wider Public Private Partnership project developed by the Club with the Bologna city council. With a new-look Stadio Dall’Ara, the city has cemented its candidacy for hosting matches at UEFA EURO 2032.
“Given the Webuild group’s world-class expertise in stadium design, the aim of the project — which involves a total investment of €200 million — is to renovate and increase the value of the ground, founded in 1927, while maintaining its public ownership. The Dall’Ara will become a high-class facility used seven days a week, in line with the best stadiums in the world.
“A key feature of the new design is the stadium’s roof, which will be shell-shaped to allow both light and air to enter the ground. Furthermore, the metal structures, added for the Italia ’90 World Cup, will be removed, revealing the original façade of the building. The stadium will be with UEFA category 4 and will have a capacity of over 30,000, with all seats having an excellent view of the action due to the proximity of the stands to the pitch, at around 7 metres from the field of play.
“The project includes redeveloping the area just north of the stadium on Via Andrea Costa, named the “Antistadio,” and building the “temporary stadium” east of Bologna (F.I.C.O area) to host the Club’s home fixtures while work on the Dall’Ara takes place.
“The project was designed and overseen by architect Gino Zavanella’s studio, GAU ARENA, in Rome.
“The Webuild group has already worked on nine of the world’s best stadiums. One of these was the Meazza in Milan, the temple of Italian football, built in 1926 and now better known as the Stadio San Siro. The stadium was renovated for Italia ’90 by a conglomerate of firms headed by Lodigiani, which subsequently merged with the Group.
“Back then, the rebuild of the Meazza was avant-garde, with the construction of the third tier, reached by 11 cylindrical cement towers, which have become world-renowned. For that same tournament, the Group also worked on the modernisation of the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with a significant contribution to the overall redevelopment and the construction of the roof. For the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the firm built the Al Bayt Stadium, which is an innovative and sustainable structure, constructed to resemble a traditional Qatar tent – a symbol of welcoming and hospitality. Throughout the years, Webuild has also constructed the rugby stadium in L’Aquila, Italy, the National Stadium in Bucharest, Romania, as well as sports complexes in Chiang Mai and South Songkla in Thailand, the Lagos National Stadium in Nigeria and the Omar Bongo Omnisport Stadium in Gabon.”