by InTrieste
The City of Trieste says it is prepared to work with Pallacanestro Trieste to secure the basketball club’s future at the city’s PalaRubini arena, following a series of meetings aimed at exploring long-term solutions for the facility’s management and use.
In a statement released this week, city officials said discussions resumed after the club expressed interest in revisiting a public-private partnership proposal, known in Italy as a project financing arrangement, for the arena.
The talks began shortly after the conclusion of the tender process for the management of the PalaRubini on June 11. According to the municipality, Mayor Roberto Dipiazza, Sports Councilor Elisa Lodi and senior city administrators met with representatives of Pallacanestro Trieste to explore options that would allow the team to continue playing at the venue while supporting its future development.
The first meeting took place on June 12 and was attended by club president Paul Matiasic and General Manager Michael Arcieri. Subsequent meetings on June 15, June 19 and June 23 were attended by Arcieri but not by Matiasic, the city said.
Municipal officials said the renewed discussions were prompted by a letter sent by the club while the tender process was still underway. In the letter, Pallacanestro Trieste informed the city that it would not participate in the bidding procedure and instead requested that negotiations continue under provisions of national legislation governing public-private partnerships for sports facilities.
The club also sought a short-term extension that would allow it to provide the documentation necessary for participation in the upcoming basketball season.
In response, the city said it developed a new framework for negotiations and presented several proposals that could be combined to facilitate the club’s continued use of the arena.
Among them is a temporary lease arrangement lasting one or two seasons, with an annual fee of €10,000. The figure is substantially lower than the €150,000 annual fee established through the recent tender process. In exchange, the club would commit to submitting a formal project financing proposal by March 2027.
City officials described the deadline as sufficient to prepare a comprehensive public-private partnership plan. Should a proposal be submitted and deemed technically and financially viable, the municipality said it could contribute funding within the limits established by law. The city also indicated that penalties would apply if the proposal is not presented within the agreed timeframe.
The municipality noted that it has allocated more than €2 million over the past five years toward the management and upkeep of the PalaRubini. It has also planned an additional €900,000 in investments and said it is evaluating further spending that could bring the total investment package to approximately €3.6 million.
Planned improvements include a new lighting system for the main court, scheduled for installation this summer at a cost of €395,000, and new emergency stairways requested by fire authorities, estimated at €250,000.
The city also said it has begun discussions with an energy provider in an effort to reduce operating costs at the arena, particularly energy expenses, which it identified as one of the facility’s largest ongoing costs.
Municipal officials described the measures as part of a broader effort to establish a sustainable long-term future for both the arena and the basketball club. They said the city remains available for further discussions and considers the future of professional basketball in Trieste to be a shared civic interest.
At the same time, the municipality emphasized that progress would require clear commitments and cooperation from all parties involved.
