Napoli’s plans to restructure the Stadio San Paolo were knocked back by the local council as “not in the public interest.”
The saga has been dragging on for several years now and President Aurelio De Laurentiis threatened to take the club outside the city.
Plans were presented to take the stadium land on a 99-year lease – the same deal that Juventus and Udinese struck in Turin and Udine – but that was rejected today.
Napoli’s plans to restructure the Stadio San Paolo were knocked back by the local council as “not in the public interest.”
The saga has been dragging on for several years now and President Aurelio De Laurentiis threatened to take the club outside the city.
Plans were presented to take the stadium land on a 99-year lease – the same deal that Juventus and Udinese struck in Turin and Udine – but that was rejected today.
The council ruled it would “be a similar effect to an improbable free sale. The plan presented by Napoli for restructuring the Stadio San Paolo cannot be considered in the public interest.”
The club has been told to come up with a new plan within 45 days to be taken under consideration.
Napoli had drawn up a proposal to spend €14m improving the structure and reducing the capacity from 60,240 to 41,000 seats.
The council voted against reducing the capacity, as “it risks excluding a notable group of fans from those high-profile games that fire up traditionally one of the most passionate supporter groups in the world.”
Yet the San Paolo is rarely full and often entire lower sections are left empty because of the poor visibility across a running track.
Mayor of Naples Luigi De Magistris spoke to Radio Kiss Kiss about the situation.
“The council requires a plan that is economically sustainable and we need to clarify some issues, such as the athletics track, the locker room and capacity.
“We are already working with loans and sporting credit to immediately get financing for three strategic sectors: the technological elements, the toilets that need to be completely rebuilt and the seats.
“This takes us closer to an agreement between the city, the council and the club.”