The representatives of Prague 10 approved the plan to purchase the Ďolíček stadium

Study: Arnošt Navrátil

Prague - The city district of Prague 10 will strive to purchase the Vršovice stadium Ďolíček from the owner Bohemians Real a.s. for an estimated price of 84.5 million crowns. This was approved today by the council. The basic reconstruction of the Vršovice Ďolíček will cost about 35 million crowns. The next two phases of repairs, according to the architectural study, will require approximately 350 million crowns.
The future tenant, the club Bohemians 1905, is expected to commit to paying an annual rent of five percent of the total investment that the town hall will allocate to the stadium. Thus, the funds for the purchase and reconstruction of the stadium should return to the district's coffers in 20 years, said council member Petr Vozobule (Desítka pro domácí), who is in charge of saving Ďolíček, to journalists. The stadium purchase itself could be finalized by the middle of next year. However, Vozobule acknowledges that negotiations will not be easy. The current owner has so far rejected the sale at the estimated price.
Today's council meeting was accompanied by a lively atmosphere. Several dozen people attended the meeting, mainly supporters of the Bohemians 1905 club with typical green scarves and hats featuring kangaroos. However, most fans and residents could not fit into the meeting room and had to watch the meeting on a screen in the hallway. From behind the doors, there were sounds of buzzing and loud whistling during the discussions.
Disagreeable shouts accompanied the speeches of the representatives from TOP 09, who opposed the purchase of the stadium. "The city district should not, in principle, buy any stadium. This is not something that belongs to the city district," said Jindřich Nepevný (TOP 09) during the discussion. "Bohemka is the family silver of Prague 10," countered mayor Milan Richter (ODS). "I am convinced that it is our duty to face this and do everything to ensure that we save the stadium," he added.
Council members approved that the proposal for the purchase would be voted on individually and by name. In the end, 26 council members voted for the proposal, while five from TOP 09 voted against it. The approval of the purchase elicited loud applause from the fans present.
Ďolíček has stood in Vršovice since 1932. It is visited by 100,000 people annually.