CAIRO: Big-spending Masri to leave 55-year-old Port Said Stadium after deciding to build a new one, chairman Kamel Abou-Ali said on Wednesday. Masri have been playing at the Port Said governorate-owned stadium for decades but decided that time has come for a venue switch. "After consulting Port Said governor, we decided to lay the cornerstone for a new stadium on Saturday," movie producer Abou-Ali told Modern Kora. "The governor allocated for us 60 feddans to build the stadium and the club's new headquarters. "We need a stadium that suits the caliber of the club. It will also help us generate income." Abou-Ali did not disclose details about the new stadium's capacity. The majority of Egyptian teams hold their games at state-owned stadiums as they lack sufficient funds to build stadia that can meet the safety requirements of hosting top-flight games. Cairo rivals Ahli and Zamalek said numerous times they were planning to build new stadiums but are yet to move forward with their aims. Masri, who used to be one of the financially struggling sides despite their popularity, had their fortunes turned around by Abou-Ali, who took over at the club last year. He spent big in the close season to strengthen the team's squad, bringing in the likes of Abdul-Salam Nagah and Mahmoud Abdul-Hakim. Masri, who made an impressive start to the season but eased off recently, lie seventh in the 16-team league table with 13 points from nine games.
