Desenzano Castle Revitalization: Proposed €18B Project for Cultural Hub
A castle of ideas and projects. These are the initiatives formulated by the Pro-Castle Committee, recently established in Desenzano by representatives from trade associations, hoteliers, Cultural Associations, and ordinary citizens. The idea is to breathe new life into the castle owned by the municipality.
The project proposes three functions: creating areas for conferences and theater with a hall for one thousand seats, exhibition spaces for cultural and commercial shows, and an open-air theater. A major revitalization. The estimated cost of the operation is 18 billion euros.
The residents of Desenzano demand action to recover the castle, revitalizing it to make it a vibrant hub capable of boosting not only the tourist sector but also the city’s entire economy. This is the goal of the Pro-Castle Committee, which, through an analysis of potential uses, costs and benefits, and industry impact, has reached precise conclusions.
Conclusions and Proposals
The findings were presented late yesterday afternoon during a meeting held at the City Social Center. Giorgio Fezzardi, a long-time former municipal administrator, explained the survey results and the proposed initiatives.
The proposals are concrete in nature. Here’s why. “Three — explained Fezzardi — are the functions that the castle’s structure allows us to realize, which can translate into initiatives based on our feasibility calculations and assessments.”
Restoring the spaces of the 19th-century Beretta barracks and other buildings located to the left of the entrance would enable the creation of a conference center and theater with a capacity between 800 and 1000 seats, necessary to host national and international conferences. Additionally, there is an area designated for exhibition spaces, cultural and commercial shows, while the third involves the open-air theater. Facilities for services, a restaurant, and reception are also planned.”
Economic and Financial Analysis
“The economic analysis — Fezzardi explained on behalf of the committee — estimates an investment of 18 billion euros. Returns have been evaluated with support from sector companies and experts. The annual rental income is estimated at 800 million euros, with an additional 200 million euros coming from savings on municipal expenses for rentals.”
In short, a revenue sufficient to cover the installments of a 25-year mortgage for 18 billion euros. Alternatively, the municipality, which owns the building, could seek private capital for financing the castle project, to which it would then cede, for a number of years, the management of the structure.
Expected Benefits for the City
Let’s look at the returns for the city and its economy. Using the conference facilities for 200 days, 100 days for exhibitions, and 50 days for the theater, would generate an annual movement with an estimated return of no less than 20 billion euros, creating about 150 new jobs.
The committee has decided to position itself as a dialogue partner for the current Center-Right Administration, to which the proposal will be presented, along with other local political parties. The goal is to persuade the administration to take action to address and resolve a long-standing issue, either by accepting these proposals, explaining what is wrong, or proposing different solutions.
If the City Council has ideas, it should say what they are — the committee insists —; the residents of Desenzano are tired of waiting. Therefore, a campaign of support for the committee and the project will be launched, targeting all residents, supported by a video presentation and a press campaign.
