<div>New multifunctional hall in Olomouc is set to cost over a billion CZK</div>

Olomouc - The multifunctional hall for various sports and cultural events is expected to cost more than one billion crowns and will be built in the coming years on the site of the dilapidated ice hockey stadium near the center of Olomouc. The city administration wants to obtain a subsidy from the state and the Olomouc region for this financially demanding investment. The planned hall is already included in the list of projects under the National Investment Plan. This was announced to journalists today by Mayor Mirek Žbánek (ANO).

The ice hockey stadium was opened in Olomouc in 1948 and is already considerably outdated. Hockey fans now refer to the stadium as the "plecharéna." This week, the city council tasked Žbánek with establishing a working group and presenting a schedule for the creation of the new multipurpose hall. "The hall should be built on Hynais Street in place of the existing ice hockey stadium and fully utilize the combined area of the land. The future design also includes the creation of a new small hall and a parking garage," stated Žbánek. According to him, most of the original construction of the ice hockey stadium will be utilized in the building of the multifunctional hall.

The city administration has revived a project from 2012 and estimates the initial investment at 1.035 billion crowns. Additionally, costs for the interior furnishings of the hall need to be included. According to Žbánek, the project also involves an expensive reconstruction of the sewage system, which is in places in a state of emergency in this part of Olomouc.

The timeline for the construction of the multifunctional hall will depend on how successfully the city can secure funding, according to Žbánek. The financial capabilities of the city and the region are limited due to debts from previous years. "However, the state of the ice hockey stadium is so tragic that we will have no choice but to engage in a relatively extensive reconstruction of this facility and address the financing," Žbánek said.

The method of financing the construction of the multifunctional hall will be part of the planned investment project that the mayor recently presented to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). "A condition for the project's realization is multi-source financing. We are currently discussing the form of financial participation from the state, city, and region. We need to prepare the project carefully to meet all the criteria that will be defined in the government grant title," emphasized Žbánek.

The city wants to have the project documentation and building permit completed this year. Similar multifunctional halls are also planned in Brno and Jihlava. "As we talked with Prime Minister Babiš, we are the furthest along in the republic," noted Žbánek.

The design of the multifunctional hall by architect Robert Štekfa from 2012 plans to maintain the current size of the ice surface and stands. The main entrance to the hall would be at the level of the first floor of the new hall. The city is currently addressing the repair of the roof of the ice hockey stadium, which can also be utilized for the new hall.

The multifunctional hall could be used not only for ice hockey but also for other sports. The city wants to negotiate the use of the hall with the management of Palacký University. Concerts and various social events could also take place there.