Roma President Jim Pallotta wrote an open letter to fans after the approval of the Stadio della Roma project. “Welcome to your new home.”
The plans have been in progress since the moment he took over the club, but after several years of delays, rejections and adjustments, it was given the go-ahead to start work in 2018.
“I was alone when I got the call to tell me it had been approved,” wrote Pallotta in the Corriere dello Sport newspaper.
Roma President Jim Pallotta wrote an open letter to fans after the approval of the Stadio della Roma project. “Welcome to your new home.”
The plans have been in progress since the moment he took over the club, but after several years of delays, rejections and adjustments, it was given the go-ahead to start work in 2018.
“I was alone when I got the call to tell me it had been approved,” wrote Pallotta in the Corriere dello Sport newspaper.
“I was waiting to watch the Champions League game and it was like an enormous weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was happy for all those who worked so hard on this project.
“I was above all happy for the Roma fans who always supported and believed in us, because this is their stadium. I know that when we presented our projects for the first time, there were massive doubts as to whether we’d be able to do it. ‘Pallotta can never manage it,’ or ‘the Americans won’t build a stadium in Rome, nobody can…’
“Despite the many people who were diffident towards the club, I always believed the project would be approved, because it made no sense otherwise. A Capital needs a stadium like this.
“For Roma to compete with the best sides in Europe, we must have our stadium. The best 10 clubs in Europe all have their own stadium.
“In order to consistently be in the Champions League knockout rounds and aim for trophies, we must have our stadium. With the new structure and entertainment complex, we can increase our revenue and invest even more in players, so Roma fans will have more chance of seeing their team win.
“It’ll also allow us to invest in the team that works off the field. From the moment I arrived at Roma, I knew we’d need a new stadium, because this is the only way for our fans to enjoy the experience they deserve.
“The CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) does a great job with the Stadio Olimpico, but there are many limitations, such as needing to install and then remove certain structures for every game. With the new stadium and entertainment complex, the possibilities of doing great things for the fans are practically limitless.
“We did great work on the hospitality area of the Stadio Olimpico, but I want the fans to experience this even outside the stadium. Even outside of football, Roma lost so many opportunities to host big events. The choice fell on other Capitals.
“In the last three or four years, I’ve spoken to many agencies who told me big events can’t be held in Rome because there is a lack of adequate structures. They told me that when the new stadium and entertainment complex are ready, the inhabitants of Rome – and not just football fans – will be able to enjoy many big events.
“We must keep working to build the new stadium, but what fires me up every day is the thought of walking out on to the field of the new stadium, looking up to see 50,000 people cheering on our team. It’ll be one of the most beautiful and moving days of my life. Forza Roma.”