Haro: «The new Villamarín is not going to be a second Bernabéu»

Ángel Haro, president of Betis, took advantage of his intervention in the third item on the agenda of the shareholders’ meeting to talk about the project for the new Benito Villamarín stadium. The president pointed out that “regarding the club’s great strategic project, the stadium, if we optimize the management it will give us a jump in income and that will result in having a better team.”

Haro responded to the complaints expressed by several neighborhood associations about the inconvenience that the activity of the stadium with its new structure may cause. «The new Villamarín is not a second Bernabéu. It does not have retractable grass and if there are big events there will be two or three in June. The activity will be a hotel, a clinic and a center related to well-being. They will be the three big engines around the stadium. None generates the turnover of a shopping center, which is what worried the neighbors. The stadium will improve evacuation, also in the leisure offer and the exit will be more staggered, so there will be fewer security problems. “We want to listen to all groups but we do not tolerate criticism based on falsehoods.”

Furthermore, Haro responded to recent criticism over the survey asked of subscribers about the VIP areas in the new Villamarín. «With the surveys our obligation is to do a market study to know the investment levels. It will have 6 percent Premium seats, which will generate 20 percent of the income and that will allow low prices in the rest. The remaining 56,400 will have a more comfortable stadium. “It has been done thinking about Betis and the Beticos.”

And the president of Betis took advantage to “value the work of the Foundation with its initiatives.” «We have to be proud of what we do and how. Betis must always be there to improve the society in which we live. Our plan was to make the Betic happy not only for the achievements but for the how. All of our faces light up seeing a man fulfilling his last wish by coming to the Betis field. I am approaching my ninth year as president and the boost this council has given the club is undeniable. There are things we could have done differently. The expansion has been a great effort for everyone but we did not want to dismantle the team and the effort has been worth it. We must now optimize resources, renew the workforce and maintain a competitive level. It won’t be easy but we will do it. The new stadium will also help with this purpose of making Betis people happy,” he considered.