Sawt Falasteen - Napoli hoping to build new stadium, says owner

"We have identified a 38-hectare site in east Naples on which I plan to build a 70,000-seat stadium, with 120 boxes, restaurants and everything else," Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis told a press event in Rome on Wednesday.

"There will also be an interactive museum, created by people who work for me in Los Angeles," said De Laurentiis, a film producer, adding fans would be able to 'play' with former Napoli stars such as Maradona or Edinson Cavani.

The Stadio San Paolo was built as a multi-purpose arena in the suburb of Fuorigrotta, just west of the city centre, in 1959 and was renamed after Napoli's most famous player in 2020.

Renovated several times, the stadium has a capacity of 60,000 but has long had a reputation as ramshackle and the pitch is still encircled by an athletics track.

Napoli rent it from the city.

"It could take 24 months to bring all this to fruition, and I won't be asking anyone for money," said De Laurentiis.

"The Maradona stadium should be demolished to make way for new housing in the city.

"The local authorities want to invest 200 million euros to modernise it, but you can't do anything with 200 mn euros."

He said he also wants to replace Napoli's training centre and had bought 17.5 hectares in the north of the city to do so.

Y.Shaath--SF-PST