Nuovo Stadio di Caserta – design description

When were plans for Caserta's new stadium unveiled?

On December 12, 2019, Casertana FC publicly presented the concept for a new stadium. The facility is to be built on the site of the previously used Stadio Alberto Pinto. The arena will have a football-specific layout and will accommodate 12,000 spectators, with the possibility of expanding to 16,000. The design is the result of a collaboration between the club and a construction and property development consortium made up of Aurora Immobiliare and Consorzio Stabile Santa Rita.

What are the intentions behind the design of the new stadium in Caserta?

The plan is to demolish the existing Stadio Alberto Pinto. This facility was opened in 1936 and has since undergone several upgrades. In 2019, it hosted a number of matches of the football competition played as part of the Universiade, hosted by nearby Naples. The stadium has an athletics track and stands with a capacity of 12,000 spectators.

Due to the removal of the athletics track, a new one is to be built in a different location in the city; similarly, the tennis courts, which are located right next to the stadium, are to be relocated. The pitch of the new facility will be moved slightly to the east of the previous one. It will be surrounded by single-level covered stands with a capacity of 12,000 spectators, which can be extended by a further 4,000 seats in the future.

The first row of the auditorium will be one metre above the level of the pitch, which will be fitted with artificial turf. The main stand with boxes and hospitality area will stand on the west side. It will be enlarged by an adjacent glazed pavilion, providing space for a restaurant, a gym, a children's playroom, a medical and rehabilitation centre, flats, and more.

From the outside, the stadium will be surrounded by an elevated promenade. It will be level with the top of the venue and will provide an entrance and exit route to the stands. On a daily basis, the promenade will be open to the public. A two-storey underground car park for approximately 400 vehicles will also be part of the facility.

The stadium will have a football-specific, rectangular form. Covered stands around the pitch will form a closed structure. Although similar arenas are already quite common in Europe and around the world, in Italy this will still be one of the few arenas of its kind.

When might the new stadium in Caserta be built?

At the time the project was announced, Casertana FC were competing in Serie C, with ambitions of promotion to Serie B. In 2021, however, the club was unable to provide the financial guarantees necessary to obtain a licence and was relegated to Serie D. The team also does not record high attendances at its matches. However, the stadium proposal has a lot of support from the local authorities, and the club's officials believe that the facility will be the foundation for the team's future successes.

The cost of building the stadium is expected to be just under €51.5 million and will be covered by private funds. 30% of the amount is the own contribution of the club and its partners (Aurora Immobiliare and Consorzio Stabile Santa Rita), with the remainder of the funds planned to be raised through a bond issue. When completed, the facility is estimated to generate around €4 million in profit per year, mainly from room rentals, parking fees and the organisation of major events.

In June 2020, city councillors approved the project. The stadium is owned by the city, but with the construction of the new arena, the shareholders will be given a 90-year right to dispose of the facility. Planning permission was granted in November 2022 and construction is likely to start in March or April 2023. Work is expected to take around 18-20 months and the stadium should be ready for the start of the 2024/25 season.