It seems that the realisation of the project to rebuild the Dall'Ara stadium is getting closer. Bologna FC and the partner which is the City Council, are not announcing anything definitive for now. However, the talks are ongoing.

The “Conference of Decision Makers” has given a positive opinion

Three new pieces of information related to the redevelopment of Stadio Renato dall’Ara have recently been announced. Firstly, the plans for the modernisation of the venue have been given a green light by the so-called "Decision Services Conference". It is a special body consisting of, among others, the prefecture, the public health authority, the fire brigade, environmental services and the local energy company. The matter is now being dealt with by a special verifier, who is ensuring that new maps and site plans are drawn up around the site.

© Bologna FC, GAU Arena

Secondly, all indications are that the temporary stadium, where Bologna FC would play their matches during the redevelopment, could be built as part of the reconstruction project of the main site. Thanks to the joint efforts of the club's lawyers and city officials, it seems that a way has been found to legally incorporate the preparation of the temporary arena into the main renovation project. 

Everything still has to be approved at the city council session, but everyone seems to be in good spirits. Its location is interesting. It would be built in the several hectares of Bologna's Fico Park, which serves as a marketplace with Italian cuisine as its theme.

© Bologna FC, GAU Arena

A new concept for the Marathon Tower is still needed

Thirdly, it turns out that the famous Marathon Tower, which dominates above the venue's main stand, does not meet earthquake safety requirements. This is a bit of a paradox: a lot of work has been done to make the whole new Dall'Ara stadium safe in this respect. All the necessary permits have been obtained and the case is closed, but one thing is missing here… it's the tower.

Therefore, new documentation has to be created for the aforementioned structure itself. In the last few days, the first meetings have taken place, during which an initial hypothesis of structural intervention was examined. This however subsequently fell through, as it was decided to keep the tower in its current state. Further discussions will continue in the coming weeks.

© Bologna FC, GAU Arena

Bologna FC has been seeking to rebuild its stadium for seven years now. That is why it is ready to take on the increased costs resulting from the worsening economic situation and the war in Ukraine, which was certainly not foreseeable. In addition to the increase in the price of construction materials, there is also a shortage of them. This mainly concerns steel, much of which was to be imported from the Donbass in Ukraine. The city council is also declaring its support for the investment by promising to contribute €40 million (however, this is the final amount and will certainly not be increased).