The Espai Barça construction schedule and how it will be financed

Beyond the president of Barça, Joan Laporta, it was Ferran Reverter, CEO of the Blaugrana club, in charge of shelving the details of the project Espai Barça and its financing, which the Barça members will have to approve in a telematic referendum on December 19. In the consultation, the Board of Directors will have to be authorized to obtain a financing of 1,500 million euros to carry out the project, which includes the future Camp Nou, the new Palau Blaugrana and the Barça Campus.

Goldman Sachs, the favorite to finance the project

As explained by the general director of the Barça club, Ferran Reverter, the investment, which is planned in 1.500 million euros, and it is “quite realistic” –900 million would go to the future Camp Nou; 420 to the new Palau, the Ice Rink and the bus station; 100 to the Barça Campus; 60 to the General Metropolitan Plan; and 20 to Johan Cruyff, already done-, it would be financed with a loan that would almost certainly be requested from Goldman Sachs, with whom you are already negotiating, and the club’s plan is “generate an additional 200 million euros per year” thanks to the new facilities, “of which a third would go to the project and the rest to the ordinary expenses of the club.”

The club’s goal is to find a financing with good interestSeeking that they are between 2 and 3 percent, as explained by Reverter, and that nothing is paid for the five years that the works of the entire Espai Barça project will last, since it would be paid for the next 30 years. That is to say, the 1,500 million would be returned in 35 years, with a five-year grace period.

An additional € 200 million per year expected thanks to the new facilities

In the words of the club’s CEO, “the project is financed by itself”. Adding more details, Reverter explained that the 200 million will come “from the new VIP boxes, technology sponsors, ‘Naming Rights’, the concerts to be held at the Nou Palau and also what the new Barça Campus and restoration will generate. According to Reverter, “all this would represent 200 million euros per year, and it is a conservative figure.”

Three and a half years to build the future Camp Nou

The works of future Camp Nou are scheduled to start mid 2022 and would last a total of three and a half years, until the end of 2025. Reverter also confirmed that “the plan is that the first season, the team can continue playing at the Camp Nou, although with the stadium partially closed, season two go out and the next two return to the Camp Nou. “The most likely option, although Reverter did not confirm it but pointed out that it is an option, is to go play Montjuic. The works of new Palau Blaugrana would start later and would last up to three years, from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2026. A year later, those of the Barça Campus, from the beginning of 2025 to the end of 2027.

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