La Liga side Real Sociedad President Jokin Aperribay presented on Tuesday the "ambitious plans for the redevelopment" of the club's Anoeta stadium, according to INSIDE SPANISH FOOTBALL. Aperribay said that the remodeling project will have a budget of €48.3M ($66.6M), with the club responsible for raising €30M ($41.4M). The latest plans come "following a number of changes, after original plans that included four commercial office buildings, one in each corner of the stadium and which would have provided additional revenue towards the project, were rejected by Basque planning authorities." The "modified plans include an alternative revenue stream." Aperribay said, "We're in advanced negotiations with Kutxabank to sign a sponsorship agreement." Aperribay added that the new Anoeta project will consist of "four phases, taking place over two seasons." The stadium's "final capacity will permit 42,300 spectators." Aperribay also confirmed that "negotiations have taken place" with La Liga side Athletic Bilbao about "temporary use of the new San Mamés, should any of the construction make Anoeta unavailable for use during the league season, but added that much of the work will be done between seasons" (INSIDE SPANISH FOOTBALL, 4/8). In Madrid, Roberto Ramajo reported the project will "eliminate the athletic track around the field, with the playing surface lowered by two meters, and the main change to the plans is to have a completely renovated facade." The new capacity of 42,300 "will be 10,300 more than the stadium currently holds." The club's architect for the project is Izaskun Larzabal. Aperribay said, "This is the remodeling of Anoeta that Real wanted, we have been complaining about the stadium we have for 20 years, and so we did not want something makeshift. We wanted a stadium for the future and we have not left anything unsaid, but it is true that we are fighting euro-to-euro to reduce the cost of the remodeling" (AS, 4/8).
