The South Bohemian Region announced an architectural competition for the Center of Ball Games

České Budějovice - The South Bohemia Region today announced an international architectural competition for the project of a Center for Ball Games to be built at the exhibition grounds in České Budějovice. The estimated costs for the construction are 1.3 billion crowns. From the first round, the jury will select three to nine candidates, and the winner will emerge from the second round. David Hocke from the South Bohemia governor's office informed journalists in a press release.

"The idea of creating dignified, appropriate spaces for elite and performance sports is not new, but there has always been a lack of necessary agreement for the realization of this intention. The current administration of the region has managed to meet the primary condition for the realization of the construction of the Center for Ball Sports, as an agreement was reached at the governmental, regional, and municipal level on a joint approach to the project's realization. This cooperation was not effectively set up in the past," stated the South Bohemian governor Martin Kuba (ODS).

The region and the city of České Budějovice will be the investors and will also apply for funds from the National Sports Agency. The region aims to obtain a building permit by July 2026 and has planned the project's completion for the autumn of 2028. "The deadline for submitting competition proposals is set for the beginning of April 2025. Evaluations of the proposals should take place in May, and the results will be presented to the public in June. Submitted proposals will be assessed by a jury composed of representatives from the region, the city, and independent experts," said the head of the Regional Development and Urban Planning Department of the South Bohemia Region, Petr Hornát. He added that among the jury members will be Kuba, the first deputy mayor of České Budějovice, Petr Maroš, the chairman of the city council's commission for the development of the metropolitan area Martin Krupauer, as well as independent architects Peter Gero, Jakub Cígler, Michal Sedláček, and Daniela Týfová.

The multifunctional hall is designed to accommodate 5,000 spectators and will host sports competitions as well as congresses, conferences, and cultural events. In České Budějovice, there is a larger hall at Na Dlouhé louce, where the reigning champions of the volleyball extraliga, Jihostroj, play their matches. However, it is no longer sufficient in capacity, and its parameters also cease to meet the requirements for international matches.