Rui Costa opened, this Saturday, the extraordinary General Assembly to consider and vote on the proposal for the direction of the Benfica District project. In Pavilion no. 2 at Estádio da Luz, the president of Benfica guaranteed that this project will not affect the “investment capacity” in the teams. «This is an autonomous project in terms of financing and will at no time compromise our ability to invest in our teams. On the contrary, in the medium term, it will allow us to reinforce this investment and our quality», stated the leader of the eagles. Rui Costa considered that the Benfica District is an «innovative project» and that with it «Benfica wins, Lisbon wins and Portugal wins». «And we will be, once again, pioneers. The entire area surrounding the stadium will be transformed, offering a new centrality to the city and benefiting the club and members with more and better facilities, more and better resources, and an even more remarkable gaming experience", said the president of Benfica. Rui Costa's intervention in full: «Ex. Mr President of the General Assembly, Dear colleagues from the Board of Directors and other Governing Bodies of Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Dear and Dear Members, From the first moment we presented the Benfica District project, we made an unequivocal commitment: this would be a project built with the partners and decided by the partners. We said, without ambiguity, that the future of this project would pass through a General Assembly. Today we are here to fulfill that word. Benfica honors itself when it respects its commitments and when it places its members at the center of the Club's structural decisions. With the same sense of responsibility and complete transparency, we put the project out for public consultation, held two clarification sessions, in Faro and Paredes, and collected dozens of suggestions and ideas sent by partners. The Benfica District is a strategic project, which aims to provide the Club with infrastructure that allows Benfica to be better prepared to face the challenges of the future. A project that embodies and translates an ambition at the forefront of the best that is done worldwide, and without parallel in the Portuguese reality. An idea entirely linked to modernity, which responds to present priorities and anticipates future scenarios. The Benfica District, which we propose today for discussion and appreciation by members, gives Benfica an even closer and more engaging relationship with its fans, more revenue, greater investment potential in our teams and, therefore, a greater ability to compete at national and international level. I emphasize this idea: this is an autonomous project in terms of financing and that at no time will it compromise our ability to invest in our teams. On the contrary, in the medium term, it will allow us to reinforce this investment and our quality. The Benfica District is part of the broader objective of reaching, as quickly as possible, consolidated revenues of 500 million euros, at the same time that the Club now has better infrastructure to enhance the associative, sporting, commercial and financial evolution that we all desire. In parallel and hand in hand with this project – with enormous relevance for the future of Sport Lisboa and Benfica –, we will increase the capacity of our stadium to 80,000 seats. We therefore intend to meet the enormous demand for Red Pass and the desire of more and more fans to be present at our Estádio da Luz. But all this transformation and modernization that we propose here today for approval by members respects the indispensable economic and financial sustainability of the Club and SAD, respects our environmental commitments and honors the initial identity of our stadium, a principle reflected in the option to work with Populous and Saraiva e Associados. Dear partners: With Benfica District, Benfica wins, Lisbon wins and Portugal wins. And we will be, once again, pioneers. The entire area surrounding the stadium will be transformed, offering a new centrality to the city and benefiting the Club and members with more and better facilities, more and better resources, and an even more remarkable game experience. More than a project from this Department, it is a Benfica project for the next 50 years, in an innovative direction for the future. Next, one of the main people responsible for the new vision for our stadium, our architect partner Miguel Saraiva, as well as my colleague from the governing bodies, Nuno Catarino, will explain, in detail, the Benfica District in its various aspects, in particular the options taken regarding financing, the operating model and the revenue that will be generated. We are naturally available to answer all your questions and, of course, welcome your ideas. I warmly thank the members present here and those who follow us via the website and app. I call for everyone to participate. Let it be a constructive debate, with respect for all opinions. Long live Sport Lisboa and Benfica.”