Bosco dello Sport – design description

On March 23, 2022, at a press conference called by the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, there was presented a concept of a "sporting forest" (Bosco dello Sport). The sports complex will be integrated into a green area, the main elements of which are to be a football stadium, a sports and entertainment hall and a so-called educational zone.

As in the previous concept presented in July 2018 (known as the citadel of sport), the facility is to be built on the mainland, in the Tessera district in the north of Venice, next to a motorway, a planned train stop and not far from Venice Marco Polo Airport. Compared to the previous project, however, the new concept has been significantly slimmed down - the construction of non-sports facilities (commercial buildings, administration buildings and a hotel) has been abandoned and replaced with more green areas.

The centerpiece of the project will be a football stadium for Venezia FC to replace the long-serving Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo on Saint Helena Island. It will be built in the shape of an oval, and its external facade will be formed by numerous pole-like columns of various colors. The capacity of the arena will be 16 000 spectators. Next to the stadium there will be an oval sports and entertainment hall with a capacity of 10 000 seats. From the outside, the hall will be surrounded by a structure whose main elements are large, colorful, circular panes of glass forming something like a stained glass window.

The entire complex will cover an area of 115 ha. According to the concept of "sports forest", the area will be covered with trees and other vegetation, among which there will be numerous walking paths. An important element of the project will be the so-called educational zone with pitches, a skate park and equipment for practicing various sports.

The project is to cost €283 million and will be entirely financed from public funds. Approximately one-third of the money will come from the National Reconstruction Fund, established to counteract the negative economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, with the remainder to be provided by the city. The completion date is expected to be 2026.