'Verona Arena needs private sponsors'

(ANSA) - Verona, January 26 - Verona Mayor Flavio Tosi told Culture Minister Dario Franceschini on Monday that his city's Arena amphitheater needs to be covered over after the opera foundation lost millions due to bad weather last season.
    Opera lovers around the world are familiar with the Verona Arena, built by the Romans in 30 AD and used as a musical theater from the Renaissance onward because of its outstanding acoustics.
    "We lost 2.5 million euros in ticket sales due to bad weather last year," the mayor said, adding that local government can no longer foot the bill for the opera foundation.
    "Our hope is that large private investors...will give a hand to the Arena, which is a significant part of the city's economy," the mayor said.
    "I think we can involve the private sector on the Arena," Franceschini said after meeting with Tosi.
    "I expect a number of significant Italian private-sector players to realize what sponsoring the Arena could do for their image".