Olomouc wants to rebuild the ice rink into a multifunctional hall

Olomouc - The Olomouc City Hall plans to renovate the winter stadium, which is not in ideal condition, into a multifunctional hall. The new facility is expected to serve sports, cultural, and social purposes. According to estimates, the investment would require several hundred million crowns, said Deputy Mayor Jaromír Czmero to reporters today.
    The city hall plans to build, among other things, lounges, a restaurant, commentator positions, spaces for journalists, and new facilities for visitors in the building. In the so-called small hall next to the winter stadium, they intend to create a training area for hockey players, figure skaters, and the public. The small hall should also include parking facilities.
    "The commencement of the investment is currently hindered, among other reasons, by unresolved property rights concerning the small hall. The city further needs to secure funding, as the investment will require hundreds of millions of crowns, which is beyond the municipal budget's capabilities," Czmero stated.
    He added that the city hall will strive to obtain grants for the project from European and state funds. Deputy Mayor Martin Novotný did not rule out cooperation with the private sector regarding the financing of the investment.
    If the city hall manages to secure grants and the small hall, the investment could commence in the autumn of 2008. "In a perfectly ideal scenario, provisional operations in the small hall would begin in September 2009. Operations of the large hall and the entire complex would be launched in March 2011," Czmero specified.
    This year, the city had the ice surface of the hall repaired for 31 million crowns. In addition to that, the stadium’s boards were also renovated. "The remaining part of the building is not in ideal condition. We want its use to be not only for sports but also for cultural and social purposes," Czmero said.
    The Olomouc City Hall acquired the hall in June 2004 at auction. Even before that, it favorably purchased a receivable, which was secured by a lien on the winter stadium. The property thus cost about nine million crowns.