AC Milan present project for new stadium

AC Milan, who share the legendary San Siro stadium with city rivals Inter, on Wednesday took the first steps towards the possible construction of their own home ground.

"The club took the first formal step with a view to a possible request for a building permit by presenting its urban development project," said the club in a statement.

The proposed new arena, expected to boast a 70,000-capacity, would be built in the San Donato Milanese suburb of the city, 15km away from the San Siro.

The project includes "the creation of a single access hub for trains, metros and highways which would make it possible to regenerate an abandoned urban area," said the club.

However, Milan did not specify either a date for a possible move or any indication as to when construction would get underway.

Designs for the new stadium are the responsibility of American architectural firm Manica who were the masterminds behind the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas where the Las Vegas Raiders NFL team is based.

They also designed the Chase Center in San Francisco, the home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, and were also behind the renovation of Barcelona's Camp Nou. 

AC Milan and Inter initially wanted to build a new stadium that they would again share but this joint project was abandoned when government heritage officials said the "San Siro could not be destroyed because of its cultural interest". 

The 80,000-seat San Siro was built in 1926 and was renovated for the 1990 World Cup. 

In 2026, it will host the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.