Thank you very much for your continued enthusiastic support of Urawa Reds.

Urawa Reds applied for the Saitama Stadium 2002 Park (hereinafter referred to as Saitama Stadium) designated manager position (designated period: April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2020), however, we are pleased to announce that we have not been selected as a manager after a review by Saitama Prefecture.

From April 2020 to the present, Urawa Reds has been managing and operating Saitama Stadium in cooperation with other member organizations as a member of the Saitama Stadium 2002 Park Management Network, the designated manager of Saitama Stadium. (Designated period: April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2025)

During the designated management period to date, we have been engaged in various activities to improve services for prefectural residents, such as expanding the stadium's hospitality functions to meet the needs of visitors and carrying out hometown activities in the Misono area and other areas.
Specific examples of our initiatives include the "Saitama Stadium Toilet Improvement Project," which renovated a total of 38 toilets (in collaboration with Saitama Prefecture, this was a priority initiative based on a survey of visitors to our home games conducted by our club), and hard measures such as the installation of LED ribbon boards (video billboards) on the walls of the back stands as a measure to improve business viability. The "Saitama Stadium Curry Project," which was implemented as a measure to promote local production and consumption, and the development of "Saitama Stadium Yokocho," which was implemented with the aim of simultaneously increasing the value of the food and beverage stall area of Saitama Stadium and sending customers to restaurants located within Saitama Prefecture. Soft measures such as the "Urawa Reds x Bread Festival," "Saitama Stadium Autumn Festival," and "Everyone's Saitama Stadium Christmas (Christmas illuminations on the fir trees)," which are aimed at creating a lively atmosphere at Saitama Stadium and the surrounding area, not just on match days, can also be mentioned.

However, for about three years since 2020, restrictions have been imposed on holding games and events due to the spread of COVID-19, and we have not been able to secure the revenue we set as our target. In addition, as a member of the designated manager "Saitama Stadium 2002 Park Management Network," we aimed to create synergy through organic collaboration among the four constituent organizations, but there was a large gap in the policies and values of each organization, and although we tried to resolve this until the end, we feel that we were not able to achieve sufficient results in terms of synergy.

When applying for the Saitama Stadium designated manager position, we utilized these experiences and reflections and approached the application process with a strong determination to take a proactive role in managing and operating the stadium in order to further increase its value.
Urawa Reds are not only connected to the people of their hometown, including the Misono district, and to their fans and supporters through home games at Saitama Stadium. Similarly, Saitama Stadium is not only connected to the people of the prefecture through games and events.
If we were to be nominated, we would have made a presentation stating that we would dig deeper into and promote what Urawa Red Diamonds considers to be "Saitama Stadium 2002 Park," based on the experience and reflections we have gained during the current designated period, including "creating a lively park," "promoting digital transformation (expanding opportunities for use through cashless payments and marketing)," "strengthening efforts toward SDGs and reducing environmental impact (circular economy, carbon offsets)," and "disaster response (strengthening functions as a disaster prevention base)." Urawa Reds would also focus on efforts centered on collaboration with Misono area residents and the government, such as "collaborative area management through strengthening ties with Misono area residents and related organizations" and "participation in measures 33, 35, and 38 of the Saitama Prefecture Five-Year Plan." However, we are very disappointed that the results have turned out this way.

■ Reference [1]: Future image of the Misono area and Saitama Stadium 2002 Park (at the time of proposal)


■ Reference [2]: Saitama Prefecture Five-Year Plan Reiwa 4 (2022) - Reiwa 8 (2026)
https://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/documents/211727/04-00_all.pdf

As a club that aims to convey the excitement and joy of sports, including soccer, foster a culture in which sports are a part of everyday life, and create a rich community and society for future generations, Urawa Reds will continue to consider "the sustainable future of the stadium and the form of its activity base" and "how to utilize the stadium as a management resource for the club," and will continue to work hard to contribute to improving the value of its hometown, including Saitama Stadium and the Misono district.

Urawa Red Diamonds Co., Ltd.