▁were ▁seen ▁to ▁be ▁out dated ▁compared ▁to ▁other ▁Serie ▁A ▁facilities . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁stad ium ▁lack ▁weather ▁protection . ▁ ▁Project s ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁stad ium ▁have ▁been ▁put ▁forward , ▁though ▁issues ▁with ▁fund ing ▁and ▁location ▁have ▁st if led ▁these ▁plans . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁stad ium ▁will ▁be ▁gradually ▁re develop ed , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁phase ▁of ▁improvements ▁completed ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 – 1 6 ▁season , ▁with ▁future ▁work ▁to ▁be ▁carried ▁out ▁if ▁a ▁ 9 9 - year ▁le ase ▁can ▁be ▁agreed ▁with ▁the ▁city ▁council . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁stage ▁improvements ▁included ▁the ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁pitch ▁side ▁bar rier , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Serie ▁A ▁clubs ▁to ▁make ▁this ▁change , ▁along ▁with ▁improved ▁ben ch ▁facilities ▁for ▁players ▁and ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁lux ury ▁boxes ▁at op ▁the ▁grand stand . ▁New ▁se ating ▁areas ▁for ▁disabled ▁spect ators ▁were ▁also ▁added . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁press ▁box ▁has ▁been ▁lower ed ▁and ▁moved ▁towards ▁the ▁pitch . ▁These ▁improvements ▁came ▁with ▁a ▁reduction ▁in ▁overall ▁capacity ▁by ▁around ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁seats . ▁ ▁At al anta ▁officially ▁acquired ▁the ▁stad ium ▁on ▁ 8 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁comple ting ▁an ▁€ 8 . 6 ▁million ▁transaction ▁with ▁the ▁city ▁government . ▁The ▁club ▁also ▁paid ▁€ 2 . 6 ▁million ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁phase