Hradec Králové wants to purchase a stadium more expensive by 150 million at the suggestion of Pelta.

Hradec Králové - The construction of a new football stadium in Hradec Králové is expected to be 150 million crowns more expensive than the previous plans and will cost approximately 550 million crowns without VAT. The city council today decided to build a more expensive stadium with higher specifications in order to obtain a grant from the Ministry of Education. One of the documents supporting their decision was a letter from the chairman of the Czech Football Association, Miroslav Pelta, from mid-March. The city club FC Hradec Králové, which has fallen to the second league this season, plays at the stadium and has its facilities there.

Pelta, who has been in custody since May 5 in connection with the Ministry of Education's grant programs, wrote to the city that the stadium project had been included "in the Priority Program P1 for the revitalization of traditional sports centers, where significant financial resources can be drawn for this project." However, according to Pelta's warning, the project will only qualify for a grant if the stadium meets international match specifications for the highest category.

The city has so far counted on a stadium in a so-called minimalist version for 400 million crowns without VAT, which would meet the conditions for the Czech first league. "However, if the stadium is of a higher standard, a grant from the Ministry of Education will be possible," said the deputy mayor for investments, Jindřich Vedlich (TOP 09). Without providing specific amounts, he stated that other sources of funding would be the city's own resources and a loan.

Opposition councilor Martin Hanousek (Greens) criticized the more expensive stadium option. "I don't want to vote on the 150 million based on a letter from Pelta, who is now in custody," he said. He expressed support for a more modest stadium option, where its construction would be feasible.

However, many councilors voiced support for the more expensive option in the discussion. Councilor Ladislav Škorpil (HDK) compared the 400 million crown stadium to a bare-bones building. In response to concerns from councilors that a more expensive stadium would hinder other city investments, Vedlich said that this would not happen. Opposition councilor Lubomír Štěpán (Communist Party) stated that while the grants are currently suspended, they are not canceled. He expressed support for the more expensive stadium.

According to Vedlich, the stadium could be built in phases. The western stand, which would house all the stadium's facilities, could be constructed first. Parts of the sides would also be built, all costing about 269 million crowns.

The construction has so far obtained a legally valid zoning decision, and the city hall is currently working on obtaining a building permit. The actual work could start at the beginning of 2018. Following today's decision by the councilors, the city will have the implementation documentation for the construction processed for the more expensive option.

The new football arena is set to have a capacity of nearly 10,000 seated spectators, while the current Všesportovní stadium from 1960 is designed for seven thousand spectators. The most prominent structure will be the western stand, which will be built where the current embankment stand is located. It will include facilities for players, media and VIP areas, glass boxes with amenities, offices for the football club, a fanshop, and a commentator's position. The typical lighting of the playing field with four so-called "lollipops" will also be retained, albeit in a modernized form.