The Swiss investor wants to complete the construction of the Plzeň football stadium

Current form of the city stadium

Plzeň - A Swiss investor wants to complete the Plzeň city football stadium for hundreds of millions of crowns. It is to have a new main stand including facilities, two towers, but primarily a shopping center, restaurant, conference hall, and an underground parking lot. Within fourteen days, the city is to receive a proposal and an economic analysis, said Deputy Mayor Petr Rund (ODS) to ČTK. The stadium would thus remain active even outside football matches.
     Last December, the city hall finished the renovation of the stadium at Štruncovy sady in Plzeň for 360 million crowns. New stands were created in the eastern, northern, and southern parts, the athletic track was removed, and the field was moved 18 meters closer to the main stand. The audience has 13,000 seats.
     Swiss HRS Real Estate AG plans to demolish the main stand and build a new one with the same capacity for 8,000 spectators. A shopping center with a restaurant for shoppers and fans would be built under the new stand extending to the current parking lot.
     "It's a nice proposal, but I'm not sure if Plzeň can bear another shopping center and whether the location in Štruncovy sady is the best place for it. Additionally, there is the issue of access roads and the fact that the investor plans to construct two underground levels for the parking lot at the confluence of two rivers, where there are strong groundwater," Rund stated.
     A shopping center in the center near Plazy, however, will likely spark discussions and discontent, according to Rund. Along with skyboxes for corporate fans, it should generate revenue for operations.
"I am in favor of the stadium being completed. However, a system must be established so that Viktorka is not burdened, the city does not face increased expenses, property relations are resolved, and it is beneficial for the investor. The problem is not financing but maintenance," Rund said.
     The city currently lacks at least 100 million crowns needed for the completion, i.e., for the two towers and a cheap refurbishment of the main stand with a seat replacement and reconstruction of VIP areas.
HRS would own the shopping center. A joint company of the city, the club, and the investor would establish a management company that would dictate what, where, and under what conditions will be built. According to Rund, the question is whether HRS should acquire any real estate within the city stadium on city land.
     Furthermore, he believes it is necessary to resolve whether the stands will also be owned by the Swiss company and if they will take care of them, or if they will only build the shopping center with the parking lot. Rund would like to avoid a PPP project, a collaboration between the public and private sectors.
     "At this moment, it is primarily about negotiations between the city as the stadium owner. We welcome any further progress in the sense that we would like the stadium to be completed in its entirety for the fans," said Viktoria Plzeň spokesperson Pavel Pillár.
     Previous investments in the stadium, according to Rund, significantly highlight the city and also bring economic benefits. "At the last match against Slavia, there were 11,600 spectators; the cup final was held here," he added. These matches also attract tourists.
     The Swiss have already completed projects such as the FIFA administration headquarters in Zurich and the football stadium built for the European Championship on the roof of a shopping center in the same city. It includes an administrative center and an Ikea shopping center. Everything, according to Rund, makes investment sense, for example, waste heat is used to warm the grass on the field.