Ostrava will have a new stadium for football and athletics within three years

Ostrava - Ostrava will have a new multifunctional stadium for football and athletics by 2011. The National Sports Center Morava will replace the municipal stadium in Vítkovice, which does not meet international standards. Construction of the new stadium for 30,000 spectators will start in the summer of 2009 and will cost at least 2.2 billion crowns. Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Trejbal told reporters today that the city wants to obtain the money from a private investor, who will rent the stadium for 20 years.
    The National Sports Center Morava will belong to the class of Elite stadiums, both in terms of equipment and capacity, which meet the conditions for holding the Olympic Games and international football matches of FIFA and UEFA. "Originally, we counted on 22,500 spectators according to the Olympic Committee's requirements. In the end, we increased the capacity to 30,000 people. We also abandoned the original investment plan to use the entire existing stand, which looked awful,” said Trejbal.
    According to him, the construction of the municipal stadium will be one of the largest investment projects in Ostrava over the next three years. However, the city does not have 2.2 billion crowns, so it wants to get the money from a private investor. "The stadium operator will be selected through a concession procedure. Then they will choose the bank that will finance the entire construction. In cooperation with the city, they will select a company to build the stadium. The city will then contribute approximately 120 million crowns annually to the operator,” specified the deputy.
    The stands of the Ostrava stadium will be covered with a white plastic membrane that will let in light while protecting spectators from rain and sun. "It will resemble a lightweight tent structure. There will also be a walkway around the entire stadium where people can stroll while still watching the match. Refreshments, toilets, and a first-aid station will be located on the walkway,” said architect David Mikulášek to ČTK.
    Spectators will enter the stadium through three entrances, with the main entrance at two levels. "Access will be easier and faster, and the stands will be filled evenly around the perimeter. The stadium will also include shops and refreshments, so spectators will not have to leave the stadium at all,” added architect David Kotek.
    New parking spaces will be created near the stadium, with access facilitated by a new grade-separated intersection of Závodní and Rudná streets. "We will demolish the training football stadium; a parking building could be built in its place. The training ice hockey hall Ledňáček is also slated for demolition, so people could park there as well,” hinted Trejbal.
    He added that Ostrava will lose one year of the Golden Spike athletics meeting due to the stadium construction, which will likely take place in Třinec. "However, we have a promise from the organizer that after the construction is completed, the meeting will immediately return to Ostrava,” said the deputy. The new stadium is expected to be used in the future by the football clubs Baník Ostrava and FC Vítkovice.