how the Padua Fair changes

PADUA – On with the hotel, but no pavilion dedicated to the world of video games. The transformation project of the exhibition center changes. This was confirmed yesterday by the president of the Chamber of Commerce Antonio Santocono. «As far as the Fair is concerned – he explains – we are carrying forward the industrial plan which has undergone some changes. In fact, by working on it, you discover some things that are achievable and others that are not. The whole part dedicated to innovation is progressing very well – he added -, even the one relating to the hotel has no problems. In fact, we have given a mandate to a company that deals with the valorisation of public goods to search the market for companies interested in investing in a hotel structure within our exhibition centre”.

Fair, hotel with 180 rooms

An advisor who will therefore have a very specific task: to collect (if they arrive) the expressions of interest that will be presented by the various Italian and international hotel chains. Once this is done, the Fair’s management will have to identify the proposal that comes closest, also from an economic point of view, to the needs. At that point, whoever wins the tender will have 20 months to build the hotel structure. A hotel which will be located in pavilion 11 and which will make 180 rooms available, a significantly lower capacity than that hypothesized a couple of years ago when it was thought to even exceed 300 rooms. The height of the building will also be significantly lower than expected. Originally Padova Hall was supposed to build and directly manage the new hotel. After a series of evaluations, however, it was decided not to take a risk that could have further burdened the company’s balance sheets.

A step back for the video game area

«As regards the design aspects that we had to review – the number one of the Chamber of Commerce said again – the part linked to gaming was found to be too onerous and therefore not practicable because at the moment we do not have sufficient means to support this intervention. They are evaluating similar initiatives but, for the moment, the initial project is not feasible.” The industrial plan presented in September 2022 envisaged, in fact, that Pavilion 6 should host the first E-Sports Arena in Italy. A space dedicated to professional gaming tournaments and competitions. The Arena was supposed to host online gaming tournaments and events related to the world of multiplayer games. A project that is now definitively archived. However, the area dedicated to food has been confirmed also in view of the arrival of the new engineering faculty in via Tommaseo.

Interporto, the controversy over the new board of directors

Santocono finally spoke yesterday on the controversy that accompanied the appointment of the new board of directors of Interporto. An appointment which for the first time saw the abstention of the Chamber of Commerce. «I honestly would not like to return to this controversy again – the president said -. Very simply the decision to abstain is linked to the fact that we would have preferred closer sharing between the two most important partners, or Municipality and Chamber. I believe, however, that these are things that happen in companies owned by public bodies.”
«Having said this – he concluded – there is no preclusion towards the new president. The professor Luciano GrecoIn fact, he is a person of value and absolutely capable of representing Interporto which is a very important reality in our city. A person who will certainly do his job well.”

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