By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
In a move which is not directly tied to the basketball section, Dimitris Giannakopoulos confirmed in a written statement that he wants to give a solution to the financial issues that plague Panathinaikos football section and his proposal includes taking control of the Athens Olympic sports complex.
That includes not only the OAKA multi-sport Arena, the home of Panathinaikos BC Superfoods but also the football stadium and all the other facilities which are part of the complex. As he explains: “I asked a group of people that I trust to come into contact with foreign investment funds specialized in the management of sports teams and facilities. Through this process, the well-known for their actions Redstone, Bluerock and AECOM were interested. Together, they have developed a plan that will make Panathinaikos a protagonist again and at the same time revive the devalued, deserted Olympic properties, a move which will result in the Greek state, Greek society and sport to undoubtedly have multiple benefits. At the beginning of the year, a proposal covering all of the above was presented and the government’s response is expected. Until then, it would be advisable not to create excessive expectations from third parties in the already troubled world of Panathinaikos. I will be the first to report publicly and responsibly if I have tangible guarantees both from the funds and from the government that the implementation of this ambitious plan is being launched”.
The Redstone representative Mark Alexander added: “We have together outlined a deal that will do much more than build a new home for Panathinaikos FC. When it’s done, “Athens Alive” will redefine Athens’ business and entertainment landscape. We will have a world-class office, hotel and conference facility, leisure, retail, restaurants, parkland, amateur sport and major sports franchises into an exciting, walkable sports and entertainment district that will rival anything in the world. The development of this scale requires strong commitments from both private and public partners, and that’s exactly what we are looking to build. “