Why Girona is considering building a new stadium outside of Girona

GironaGirona continues to float the idea of a new stadium, a topic that has been on everyone's lips. Montilivi, owned by the City Council but leased to Girona until 2068, is outdated and limited, and even Míchel Sánchez's team's run in the Champions League failed to prompt any changes. There was even serious consideration given to playing their Champions League matches in Barcelona. The latest information comes from Ignasi Mas-Bagà, the club's CEO, who spoke about it on the podcast. Girona PrideProduced by the club itself, he said that one of the options "is to leave the city. But if this happens, we won't go far."

But what is the reason for Girona considering building a new stadium outside of Girona? The club has had a team dedicated exclusively to this project for about a year. Two options were being considered: either a complete renovation of Montilivi or building a new stadium. At Montilivi, it's possible to build a stadium with the amenities and modernity demanded by today's standards, but the problem lies in exploiting the surrounding area for economic gain. The stadium is surrounded by the University and a wooded area, making it impossible to build shops, restaurants, or parking lots there. In fact, you only have to go near the Fan Zone that Girona sets up before each match: small and with street food stalls.

About 25,000 spectators and 100 million

Studies indicate that Girona should have a stadium with a capacity of between 20,000 and 25,000 spectators, which would represent an investment of 100 million euros, explained Mas-Bagà. He acknowledged that this figure wouldn't be recouped by simply holding football matches every two weeks, but rather referred to the aforementioned commercial uses. The club, through external companies, is conducting surveys among its members to ask them what leisure activities they would like.

"Do people perceive this as slow? Perhaps, but this is the project that will change Girona's history. And we can't afford to make a mistake," responded the CEO of the Girona club, who, while stating that the priority was to remain at Montilivi, also revealed that the City Council itself is proposing other locations within the municipality. Mas-Bagà finally opened up completely, stating that "we are also working on other options elsewhere; but if we had to leave, it wouldn't be far. There's an interesting fact: more than half of Girona's members don't live within the Girona city limits, and that's perfectly fine."

Leaving the city isn't new. To give two examples, the club is building its training complex in Vilablareix, and Girona B plays its matches in Vidreres and trains in Riudarenes. However, no one is willing to commit to any dates or announcements anymore.