Parma, 28 February 2024 - Here are the words of Managing Director Corporate, Luca Martines, from the programme “Casa Italia” broadcast on Rai Italia.

JOURNEY OF SERVICE CONFERENCES

“The stadium project will extend over multiple seasons. We presented it a year ago with a much faster timescale than colleagues in other cities are dealing with, but it is anyway a long road. The definitive project was outlined in September, then we began the Service Conferences. There, the Conference asked us for a series of integration documents that we provided last week and the process began again. We are almost at the end of this particular journey, in a few months, we expect that the Service Conferences will express their evaluation to the Comune of Parma, and from there we will have authorisation to proceed in the project'.

NEW STADIUM LAW

“The new stadium law entered into action this January, the project foresees the demolition of the current stadium and a new ground being erected in its place, without changing its features. The stadium will have the same capacity and dimensions as the current one and will be a public-private partnership. The land and goods are owned by the Comune who entrust them to private parties for a certain period of time in order to rebuild and maintain them'.

WHY PARMA IS RENEWING THE TARDINI

'The Tardini has turned 100 and has been the star of this chapter in football history. The structure was last renewed in the 2000s, but it is mostly a 90s ground. It was a series of structural limitations that are even more important today. On one hand, we are pushed by the desire to offer a better Match Day Experience, the best and most inclusive experience for all fans that go to the stadium, with services, visibility and acoustics. Then there is the idea of inclusivity itself, everyone should be able to access the stadium regardless of dis/ability. Then there is environmental sustainability, since structures, especially those built in the 90s, are not brilliant in terms of energy efficiency. We will create an energy pool with solar panels that will cover the roof of the stadium and the energy will be redistributed to the citizens'.

TIMESCALE FOR BUILDING THE NEW GROUND

“We are still in the administrative phase of proceedings, so with approval, the execution will follow. The deadlines are around 2024, I maintain a good estimation that we will have authorisation to proceed between September and December 2024. Building works will begin at the end of the 2024/25 season. Temporary stadium? That is a delicate topic, we are assessing two options, the preferred option being to build a temporary ground in the region with a similar process to that of the stadium refurbishment. We will need authorisation from the community. To date, there are various areas up for discussion. The three Comuni are Noceto, Fidenza and Monticelli Terme with whom we have already opened various options and exchanged documents, others, including Sorbolo, we are still evaluating'.