Hradec Králové will no longer strive for the Czech pavilion from the World Expo

Hradec Králové - The city of Hradec Králové will no longer seek to acquire the Czech pavilion from the World Expo in Japan. The city council did not approve the proposal on Tuesday to continue preparations for purchasing and relocating the pavilion to Hradec Králové. Therefore, the item regarding the potential acquisition of the pavilion did not even make it to the agenda of the subsequent council meeting. CTK was informed today by city spokeswoman Kateřina Rohlíčková. The costs of purchasing and relocating the glass spiral-shaped pavilion to Hradec Králové were estimated to be up to 280 million crowns. The Expo ended on October 13.

Pardubice and the Pardubice region are also interested in the possibility of acquiring the pavilion. However, they are only currently exploring options, said Pardubice mayor Jan Nadrchal (ANO) to CTK today. The city has contacted Czech Centers to clarify the costs and is considering with architects where the pavilion could be located and what its purpose should be.

Pavlína Springerová (Hradecký demokratický klub), the mayor of Hradec Králové who dealt with the pavilion matter, previously called the acquisition of the pavilion a unique opportunity to strengthen the city’s cultural identity and boost tourism development. At the same time, she stated that the purchase could not be done "by force." According to her, a condition for acquiring the pavilion would be that the city secures a grant for the project that covers at least 85 percent of the costs.

The opposition, led by the ANO movement, criticized the intention to purchase the pavilion due to the anticipated high costs. The plan did not have full support within the city council coalition either. Regional manager of the coalition ODS Patrik Šiml labeled the acquisition of the pavilion a costly experiment, arguing that Hradec Králové should prioritize investing in the renovation of its buildings, which desperately need investment, such as the Adalbertinum building or the Aldis congress center.

Regarding the Czech participation in the Expo in mid-October, CTK reported that the future of the pavilion is in question, with options including selling the pavilion to the Czech Republic, selling it to Japan, or selling off individual parts of the pavilion. According to the plans of the Japanese organizers, the exhibition grounds are expected to gradually revert back to a construction site. The dismantling of pavilions is scheduled to take place in the winter months.

The costs of acquiring and relocating the wooden and glass pavilion to Hradec Králové were estimated by the commissioner of the Czech participation at the Expo, Ondřej Soška, in discussions with Hradec Králové councilors and the public in August and September, to be between 206 and 278 million crowns. The pavilion itself, which is designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, would cost around 130 to 150 million crowns. Soška ruled out the possibility of donating the pavilion to the city.

Critics of the purchase pointed to unclear uses for the pavilion and unknown future operating costs. According to Soška, it could host concerts, exhibitions, conferences, or festivals.

Since the start of the Expo in April, more than 1.5 million visitors have passed through the pavilion. A total of 29 million people visited the entire Expo. The Expo featured exhibitions from 158 countries, including the Czech Republic, as well as seven international organizations.