After the approval by the City Council of San Donato for the proposal of an urban planning variation, Mayor Francesco Squeri held a press conference regarding AC Milan's new stadium project in the San Francesco area.
Here are his words:
"I don't hide that this is my first press conference, but understanding the topic, I also understand the number of journalists. Everything started at the beginning of 2023 when SportLifeCity, which already has an approved resolution for an arena, comes to the municipality and proposes the possibility of changing the arena into a stadium. We express our willingness, but the process is quite lengthy, and on September 28, 2023, SportLifeCity submits the request for a variation to the integrated intervention plan for the San Francesco area. The council declares the feasibility of the project. However, as it is a project of supra-municipal importance, we will move towards a program agreement."
Regarding the next steps:
"This is a draft program because there will certainly be changes during the program agreement. As an administration, we have decided to go through the municipal council by the end of February. It's a political choice to take stock of the entire process after the program agreement."
On transportation, Francesco Squeri said:
"Now let's talk a bit about this project draft because it's important to call it that. The agenda potentially includes the development of a new railway station, reducing the use of cars, and reclaiming parking areas. It is estimated to take about an hour to disperse everything. The San Donato station will have to become a real station. All of this is to decrease the influx of road transport. The San Donato metro is about 1.2 km from the area, but there is the possibility of creating shuttles, although it's too early to discuss. The commitment is certainly to reduce road transport. This is the project challenge because it is unthinkable to move 70,000 people by road. Even parking lots couldn't support this type of transport."
On the benefits for the city:
"The recovery of closed municipal sports facilities is planned. The goal is to transfer the advantages to municipal sports facilities by creating a functional network of facilities. In the SportLifeCity project, it is expected that the generated energy will be self-sufficient and sufficient for the entire complex. When there are no events, these energy centers could transfer useful energy to the city. Non-buildable complexes could be transformed into green areas. We have considered that the project will undergo changes, so we have thought of a path with the city, which will be informed. We will listen to the citizens, evaluate the ideas collected to try to improve the project's impact on the city."
Further on the benefits for the city of San Donato, Francesco Squeri added:
"No one has ever said that the stadium would be the cure-all for San Donato. The city has many problems, and we know it; however, the stadium could improve it and help solve these difficult situations. We chose to hold a press conference right after the council assembly. Then, for the council, we would like to hold a public assembly, but it's not an easy thing. We are organizing it and will do it soon."
On the inauguration date of the stadium:
"What I hear from Milan, I know from my relationships with SportLifeCity. Milan would like to inaugurate the stadium in October of the 2027/2028 season. In the program agreement, it talks about 18 months, but there are many entities involved, and you never know how it will end."
On security:
"I have often talked with [Mayor of Milan] Sala, and there are doubts about whether a city like San Donato with twenty-eight officers can guarantee security. San Siro is internal, and you can get there by public transport, but the place where we will build the stadium has few accesses to San Donato. You don't need hundreds of access points to reach the stadium, then the area is a private area, and security will surely be guaranteed by Milan itself. Then technology is making giant strides. We are already working, but imagine how the area will be enriched with video cameras in five years. After a few minutes, if someone does something wrong, they will be immediately recognised. Agreements can be made with the municipalities, and Milan is attached to us from the North, so some officers will also come from Milan."
On roads and trains, Francesco Squeri said:
"I like to give practical examples: I have been working on the ring road for years and manage two exits. If we want, it will take us two years, then if we have to talk about public interventions that in Italy take an average of ten years, then it's another matter. The stadium will not be delivered without infrastructure. I cannot answer for the train issue; Ferrovie dello Stato must answer. There will be an enhancement of the train network, but for now, I cannot answer. For now, the path is feasible, and we are trying to solve problems with SportLifeCity."
On the metro:
"The extension of the yellow subway line has been planned for years. We have spoken with ATM, and the agreement is planned up to Paullo, but they told us that there is still no money to start the works."
On the future of San Siro:
"Milan has not yet talked about who plans and who does what. We will discuss it in the program agreement because so far, we are only at a planning stage. We made a council agreement yesterday. We did not say yes to the stadium; we said yes to the planning of this stadium. Regarding San Siro, I got the idea that the two teams will no longer play in the same stadium. San Siro will definitely remain standing, but at least one stadium will be built. It needs to be understood which one and how it will be done."
On San Donato:
"I am convinced of one thing: if the stadium comes to San Donato, it becomes a magnet city, a beautiful city. We now have offices that are emptying; surely this project could lead to development in terms of employment. Not only in the San Francesco area but throughout the city. San Donato is becoming a tourist city. It would be very important that we could intercept this flow; we can do very well. San Donato is the first time it has made a program agreement, but I know it lasts at least 18 months. It would be nice if it lasted 18 months, good for the project. I want to say that it is Milan that sought us out. We consider this an opportunity because there are more advantages than disadvantages. We believe it is an opportunity for us, but in the end, Milan will decide how to build this stadium."
On SportLifeCity, Francesco Squeri said:
"It has become the representative of Milan, and we talk to them because they represent Milan. I haven't met with the executives yet: Scaroni and Furlani I have only seen once, but not to talk about the stadium, it was just to get to know each other."
On the new stadium:
"We expect a stadium with 70,000 seats. We also expect about 3,500 parking spaces divided into two levels. Along with this, there will be the new museum, offices, a hotel, and a restaurant, the official Milan store, and an auditorium."
