Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso warns restructuring the Stadio Artemio Franchi won’t be enough. ‘We should tear it down, this isn’t the Colosseum.’
Ever since the Italian-American businessman took over the club last year, he has been pushing to either transform the current arena or be given permission to build a new one.
Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso warns restructuring the Stadio Artemio Franchi won’t be enough. ‘We should tear it down, this isn’t the Colosseum.’
Ever since the Italian-American businessman took over the club last year, he has been pushing to either transform the current arena or be given permission to build a new one.
The existing rules limiting work on buildings over 30 years old due to ‘architectural importance’ have until now scuppered most attempts to build stadiums in Italy, but a new law was introduced this month to make that easier.
“If we don’t do things the way I say, within the laws, then we won’t do anything,” said Commisso after meeting with Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella.
“We’ll go to Rome and present the preliminary project for the Stadio Franchi, to understand if it can be done, and to make the Government understand that we want to invest. That’s what the law was changed for.
“There are systemic problems with this stadium, like leaks, the other day a piece of wall almost fell on me. My wife didn’t even want to go to the restroom in the stadium.
“We want to create something beautiful and modern for the city. When fans come to the stadium, they can’t expect to sit there getting rained on with a terrible view of the pitch. Why would they pay for tickets in those conditions?
“I’ve always shown respect to Florence. I wanted to restructure the Stadio Franchi and was not going to request a commercial sector to the new development, but things have changed and I have learned.
“Look, the Stadio Franchi is not the Colosseum. I am suggesting we knock it down and start from scratch.”