An olive tree, a symbol of longevity, prosperity and peace, marked the start of construction this morning at the INGFerrari Training Centre, Pisa Sporting Club’s new sports facility.
The event was attended by the Mayor of Pisa, Michele Conti, and the President of Pisa Sporting Club, Giuseppe Corrado, as well as the club’s main commercial partners.
“I would like to thank Pisa Sporting Club for its forward-thinking investment and for choosing to mark the start of this project by planting a tree,” said the Mayor of Pisa, Michele Conti, a gesture that evokes the idea of growth, roots and the future. Investing in young people means creating the conditions for them to grow, develop and forge their own path. In recent years, we have seen just how vital it is to provide local communities with suitable facilities capable of welcoming and nurturing the younger generation. This sports centre has been established with this objective in mind: to offer opportunities to young people, not only from Pisa but from across Tuscany and the whole country, who will be able to train here and pursue their dreams. It is a project that demonstrates great foresight and looks ahead to 2050, with a solid and structured plan, carried out with consistency and ambition, which looks beyond immediate sporting results. An approach that looks to the future, founded on sound business principles and a vision of sustainable growth. A sports centre just a stone’s throw from the Tower represents an extraordinary opportunity for Pisa, from many different perspectives. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to bringing this project to fruition for the city, including the Planning Department of Pisa City Council and the former Deputy Mayor, Raffaele Latrofa, who, together with me, has followed the path that has brought us here today.
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“Today, I would first and foremost like to thank everyone who has believed in this journey and who is here with us,” continued Giuseppe Corrado, President of Pisa Sporting Club. This is a project for the city; here, an oasis of nature, beauty and organisation will be created, where young people, adults and the elderly can experience sport in different ways: some will take part in it, others will watch their children, grandchildren or friends, spending their time surrounded by greenery and beauty, centred on an activity that promotes health, wellbeing and improves quality of life. It will be a true natural park dedicated to sport, a place where young people will grow up – perhaps not all of them will become footballers, but they will certainly become sportspeople, healthy individuals, and people imbued with the values that sport can instil. . This is, of course, a first step in our development within the sporting arena, but it is also something that will leave a significant mark on the city and could serve as a model for other organisations in Italy and abroad. Modern football is an industry and must be organised as such, starting with the infrastructure, the ‘factory’ and the system that produces quality “.
Also present at the ceremony were the senior management of INGFerrari – Chairman Pietro Ferrari and General Manager and COO Amerigo Tognarelli – the company that has taken on the role of General Contractor and lent its name to what will very soon become a key asset for Pisa Sporting Club and a further source of pride for the entire city. “The construction of the New Training Centre is a very important milestone for us in our journey of growth and development within the sports sector,” commented Pietro Ferrari, President of INGFerrari. “It is a challenging project, covering a vast area, situated very close to one of Italy’s most beautiful city centres. It will be a state-of-the-art sports centre and, for INGFerrari, a partnership that we believe holds great promise”.
The Pisa Sporting Club Sports Centre will cover an area of 121,900 square metres; of this, approximately 7,000 square metres will be allocated to buildings that will house:
- Pisa Sporting Club Headquarters
- Academy Headquarters
- First Team Changing Rooms and Technical Area
- Men’s Academy Changing Rooms and Technical Area
- Changing Rooms and Technical Area, Women’s Academy
- Area designated for gyms (approx. 400 m²)
- Rehabilitation area (with swimming pool)
- Area dedicated to physiotherapy and cryotherapy
- Media House
- Area designated for restaurant
- Area designated as guest accommodation (for internal use by the First Team)
- Area designated for a Fans’ Café/Restaurant
- Space reserved for the Official Pisa Store
The remaining section, dedicated entirely to sport, will host:
- A mini stadium built to the standards required to host official professional matches
- 6 football pitches of regulation size
- No. 1 Five-a-side football pitch
- 3 functional areas for sports and educational activities
- Functional Areas for Athletic Activities