Works began today for the construction of the Sports Center in Torretta. The event today was attended by the president of Palermo FC Dario Mirri, the president of the Region of Sicily Renato Schifani, the president of the Serie B League Mauro Balata, the deputy mayor of the Metropolitan Area of Palermo Carolina Varchi, the mayor of Torretta Damiano Scalici and Palermo FC's sports director Leandro Rinaudo.
Dario Mirri: "Today I feel I have achieved an eternal promotion for our Palermo, a promotion from which there can be no turning back. Having a home, having a place where you can develop talents and develop sporting activities is in my opinion the decisive basis. Palermo has been looking for a house for 122 years. After 122 years we found it, so today is not a day like any other".
Renato Schifani: "I hope that this reality can lead to the creation of other facilities, that favor youth sport to keep children away from distractions far from the principles of legality. The city of Palermo has experienced moments of joy with the promotion to Serie B: the participation in sport is also a moment of enrichment for both human and work serenity. We are a region that is growing, producing and is called to great commitments. I am sure - continues Schifani - that in addition to this dream that comes true, many others will soon become a reality. I will work in these five years to ensure that many things hoped for in the past can be achieved. Today is Palermo FC fans, the city of Palermo and all of Sicily's moment: we are a great region that knows what the cult of legality, growth and solidarity is".
Mauro Balata: "I'm here to show appreciation and to praise the hard work done by President Mirri and the new Palermo club. Today we are witnessing the laying of the first stone, which comes after a short but intense journey, started by the Company, studded with victories on and off the pitch. A special applause must be given because they have managed to recover important sports spaces. This initiative bears witness to the philosophy that we too as Lega espouse and which we intend to borrow throughout the entire territory. Young people and sports centers, only in this way can football become a vehicle of positive values of legality. I therefore hope that there may be other beautiful and important initiatives like this".
Carolina Varchi: "A moment that many were waiting for, to give Palermo Calcio a home, a fully operational place, just as it happens in the great sporting capitals of Italian football. So with the construction of this center, Palermo can really begin to dream big".
Damiano Scalici: "We are happy with this choice. In my name, in the name of the whole community of Torretta, I want to thank President Mirri for choosing our area to settle and to build the home of Palermo FC. Sport, as we know, is legality, sport is life and we are focusing a lot on this. Now we will work as we have worked so far, in total absolute synergy with Palermo Calcio to make this territory grow, because for us this is a great opportunity for development".
Leandro Rinaudo: "I remember from an early age that the youth sector has never had a home and now this seems to me a truly epochal turning point. The advent of City Group has accelerated this fundamental path for the definitive growth of Palermo FC. So for us it is a source of great pride to start thinking that we will move here soon. I really want to thank Dario and the City Group for this opportunity they have given to the club and for this dream that is finally becoming a reality".