Photo :Olympiacos,Vice President of Olympiacos FC- Evangelos Marinakis,The Mayor of Piraeus Yiannis Moralis
The Mayor of Piraeus and Vice President of Olympiacos FC opened the landmark event at the Municipal Theater, making it clear that the city has unanimously approved the height adjustment for the largest investment in its history.
A new, glorious chapter in the history of Piraeus and Olympiacos has officially opened at the city's Municipal Theater. In an atmosphere filled with emotion and anticipation, the official presentation of the plans for the radical reconstruction of the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium took place. The event was opened by the Vice President of Olympiacos FC and Mayor of Piraeus, Yiannis Moralis, who sent a clear, resounding message to the central government, calling on it to proceed as quickly as possible with the necessary legislative regulation so that not a single day is lost in implementing this vital project.
The Mayor of Piraeus Yiannis Moralis
In his opening remarks, Mr. Moralis did not hide his satisfaction, speaking of a great day for Olympiacos and Piraeus. He revealed that just a few days ago, the Municipal Council of the city unanimously approved Olympiacos' request for the necessary urban planning modifications. This unanimous support from the local community forms the strongest foundation for the project's launch, proving that the entire city stands united behind this specific vision. The visual presentation of the plans brings the expectations of millions of Olympiacos fans in Greece and abroad to life, offering something that will deeply move everyone in the world of football.
The historical overview shared by the Mayor of Piraeus reminded everyone of the stadium's journey. It was during the 2003-2004 period when, under the presidency of Socrates Kokkalis, Karaiskakis became the only football stadium in Greece built entirely with private funds. Today, approximately 22 years later, the time has come for its complete reconstruction. The project's budget reaches an extraordinary 250 million euros for Greek standards. The most crucial element of the proposal, as Yiannis Moralis pointed out, is that it does not request a single euro from the Greek state. All that is required is the approval of legislation that will allow the investment to move forward immediately.
The Mayor's criticism of any potential bureaucratic delay was direct. He emphasized that there is no time or reason for hesitation when dealing with the largest investment ever planned within the geographic boundaries of Piraeus. When an investor intends to allocate 250 million euros without state subsidies and with the unanimous consensus of the city, the state has a duty to respond instantly. For this reason, he urged the Government to introduce the legislative regulation for the height adjustment to 52 meters, so that the fans' dream can soon become a reality.
As one of the few people who had the privilege of seeing previews of the designs prior to the presentation, Yiannis Moralis assured the audience that the final result will be exceptionally spectacular. In his dual capacity as Mayor and Vice President of the club, he expressed his certainty that this intervention will radically improve the entrance to the city of Piraeus. Such a modern stadium, beyond hosting Olympiacos' matches, will be able to host the National Team and major international events, upgrading the prestige of the entire area.
At the same time, he revealed that discussions are underway with Olympiacos for additional, smaller-scale accompanying interventions, which, when combined with the main investment, will provide a massive developmental boost. Mr. Moralis stated clearly that he supports private investments, noting that the city can only change through creative cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Closing his speech, the Mayor of Piraeus referred to the unbreakable bond between the city and the club, pointing out that the history of Piraeus over the last 100 years is identical to the history of Olympiacos. Although he clarified that the roles of the Municipality and the FC do not intertwine, he recognized the reality that Olympiacos is the primary ambassador of Piraeus abroad through its successes in football, basketball, and the amateur sports departments.
Finally, he expressed his warm gratitude to the president of Olympiacos, Evangelos Marinakis, both for his continuous contribution to the Municipality from his position as the top Municipal Councilor for two terms, and for his decision to finance this massive project, which will provide an ultra-modern gem to the fans and all citizens of Piraeus.
