The president of FC Barcelona and Jordi Moix, director commissioner of Espai Barça, talk about what the project will bring
Space dedicated to Cruyff
Josep Maria Bartomeu also announced that the New Camp Nou will have a space dedicated to Johan Cruyff: “He deserves it, because the club would not be where it is now without him".
FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu called the unveiling of the plans for the New Camp Nou stadium “a historic day for the day club”.
The presentation took place in the presence of sporting and institutional representatives, former players, the project winning architects Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausio, players and coaches from the first team and many more.
The president highlighted the scale of the project and the historic moment facing the club and says “it will be the best stadium in the world”. The president reiterated that “a club like ours must have the best stadium”.
As does the club deserve it, so does the city: “It will be good for the city and for those who visit,” said Bartomeu. With the New Camp Nou, everybody is a winner according to the president.
“Barça wins, as they will have a unique stadium and the members, fans and visitors win because it is adapted to the needs of the people with all comforts and services possible”.
So does the whole area. “The neighborhood and the city will also will as they will get to enjoy a new green space, facilities build to the highest criteria regarding sustainability and accessibility. A New Camp Nou, open, attractive and a new icon for Barcelona,” said Bartomeu.
For the coming years, when the start the construction of the New Camp Nou gets underway, both Bartomeu and Jordi Moix, director commissioner of the Espai Barça project, have asked for the cooperation of the members:
"We must walk together, join forces, have close synergy and grow together,” said Moix. Bartomeu also highlighted the impact of the club on the city of Barcelona, noting that the contribution to the GDP of the city has increased by 1.5%.
He explained how it is forecasted that it will make a contribution of 826million euros to the GDP of Barcelona, but the updated study by Deloitte for the 2014/15 season says it has already increased to 906 million.
Finally, Bartomeu outlined the main features of the winning project by Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausió, a Catalan-Japanese architectural fusion.
Regarding the financing of the project, Bartomeu explained that debt needs to be reduced and “search for the best proposals for external funding without jeopardizing the sports project and without selling an inch of heritage”.
In conclusion, the president stated: "It is a dream that is also a great challenge that we will take on with responsibility, rigor, conviction, enthusiasm and pride".
On his part, Moix called the project a “spectacular challenge” and that “it will be a long process and, on occasions, annoying but we know that we are constructing history”.