Plzeň has completed repairs on the football stadium, which cost half a billion

Plzeň - More than half a billion crowns was invested in the complete reconstruction and extension of the city football stadium in Štruncovy sady over the past nearly six years. Another approximately 90 million covered the two corner towers, which were funded with the help of a state grant by the FC Viktoria club. During the reconstruction of the stadium, the athletics track was removed, which is why the city built a new stadium for athletes at an additional cost of more than 100 million crowns.

"In terms of size, the stadium is perfectly tailored to the needs of the city. People from all over the Plzeň region come here for football, and the stadium is sold out every two weeks," said Mayor Martin Zrzavecký (ČSSD) to reporters today during the presentation of the last completed part of the stadium repairs. According to representatives of the city and Viktoria, the investments were successful, with average match attendance exceeding 10,000 spectators, making it by far the highest in the country.

The final phase of the repairs was the completion of the reconstruction of the upper part of the main stand. "This included surface modifications, the replacement of seats and railings, the reconstruction of the control station for emergency services, and the reconstruction of the balcony facing the park," described Technical Deputy Pavel Šindelář (ODS). Due to the construction of the corner towers, the side access staircases to the main stand were demolished. The last phase of the project included thermal insulation of the facade, reconstruction of the balcony on the second floor. Lattices were used to cover the balcony facing the park, unifying the overall appearance of the stadium, and engineering networks were reconstructed, added Šindelář.

The football club kept its promise and built two corner towers, North and South. These contain facilities for young footballers of the club's academy, which is linked to the regional football academy, said Petr Žitek, chairman of the Viktoria Plzeň - football association, which oversaw the construction of the towers. The towers provide facilities, accommodation, spaces for physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and meals for young football players. According to the owner of FC Viktoria Plzeň Tomáš Paclík, the club and the city now have one of the most modern stadiums in the Czech Republic, which meets the strictest standards for European football and also offers excellent conditions for young football talents.

In the initial phases, which began in the spring of 2011, the original mounds around the former athletics track were removed, and the playing field was shifted closer to the main stand. Gradually, a new entrance to the pitch for players was created, the southern, eastern, and northern stands were completed, lighting for the playing field was built, as well as parking lots and part of the internal spaces and seats of the main stand.

The final costs for the complete repairs increased compared to the original plans. In January 2011, the city council approved that 365 million crowns could be spent on the repairs of the stadium, and potentially another 70 million on the main stand, while 67 million crowns were originally designated for the new athletics complex. The athletic stadium eventually cost 107 million, and the football stadium totaled 508 million crowns including VAT, the mayor estimated.