Yet another problem has emerged in AC Milan and Inter’s plans to build a new stadium as concerns have been raised regarding street vendors, a report claims.
The fourth meeting of the Public Debate process regarding the project for the construction of the new stadium in Milano was held yesterday and it was regarding the economic sustainability of the operation.
As reported by Calcio e Finanza (via Calciomercato.com), among the people who spoke during the debate was the president of APECA (Provincial Association of Ambulant Commerce Operators) Giacomo Errico, who essentially wanted to know what will happen to street vendors after the new stadium is constructed and the surrounding area is redeveloped.
“If you don’t say and don’t talk about who is around the Meazza and has been working there for 50 years, supporting their families, how can you do it? Street vendors pay 800 thousand euros a year, we are talking about 8 million euros in the space of ten years,” he began.
“At San Siro there are trucks paid for from 300 to 400 thousand euros, investments that are worth like mortgages. No one who has taken it into account for planning. There are 64 consortium vendors for the stadium area, and another 30 immediately outside thanks to the concession made by the former mayor Albertini to the clubs.
“At the San Siro you can buy the jerseys of the lines created specifically for street vendors which cost less than the official ones, but they are made in agreement with the clubs. Take the vendors into account, because if you don’t take them into account this becomes a social problem. We do not want to repeat the scene that already took place in 1989 and block the entrances to the stadium in protest.”
Mark Van Huuksloot – the Chief Operating Officer of Inter – was present at the meeting and he promptly replied to Errico, realising his concerns.
“I am the CEO of MI Stadio, which for years has been managing relations with street vendors as a consortium. They played an important role around the stadium, because food and beverage in the stadium is limited, their presence has always been welcome,” he said.
“We have always tried to improve the relationship with them, with a letter of intent and with the formalisation of a contract that wants to clarify the relationship between the parties. This is a demonstration of the clubs’ willingness to handle an atypical situation.
“The new stadium will be different, it will have more space inside and in the commercial part to operate, there it is right that a solution is found that I cannot promise will satisfy everyone.
“Nothing prevents us from providing a right of first refusal for the food and beverage structures that we are going to create, which does not mean having a station for everyone, but maybe we will find other solutions that work all week and not just on match day. The project foresees a change in the system, but I would like to reassure the operators, we will not forget them.”
