Olomouc wants to transform the ice stadium into a multifunctional hall

Olomouc - The Olomouc City Hall wants to convert the winter stadium, which has been in poor technical condition for years, into a multifunctional hall. Whether they will proceed with the investment will depend, among other things, on the estimated costs of the project. The city has been planning a comprehensive renovation of the hall for several years, but has not yet moved forward due to the fact that the surrounding land is owned by a private company.
     "We are still negotiating with the landowner. His current stance is that he is interested in redeveloping the area. Therefore, he commissioned a study for this reconstruction. We agreed that we will let the project reach a stage where we will have documentation for the zoning decision, from which the real costs of the project will emerge. Then we will know whether we can implement it," said Mayor Martin Novotný to reporters.
     According to him, the acceptable amount for the city is about 800 million crowns. The City Hall should know the estimated investment costs in September or October. "The question of financing the project is still open. I cannot rule out a model where we would also collaborate with a private investor who owns the surrounding land," Novotný stated.
     The project for the renovation of the winter stadium, where the top division hockey club owned by Olympic champion from Nagano Jiří Dopita plays its matches, includes its conversion into a multifunctional hall in the shape of an ice block. Thanks to the investment, the area could also be used for ball sports or for hosting cultural and social events. The investment would also include the repair of the so-called small hall by the winter stadium, changes in traffic organization in the area, and the construction of a parking garage.
     "Everything depends on the money. If we manage to finance the project, it should be completed or at least underway by the end of the current electoral term," said the mayor.
     The city has been planning a comprehensive renovation of the winter stadium for several years. In the past, a study was created for the reconstruction of the site, which estimated an investment of 1.5 billion crowns. However, according to the mayor, the original plan is currently unrealistic.
     The city leadership has previously declared that if the City Hall fails to repair the winter stadium, it will consider building a new hall on a greenfield site. This option is still being kept as an alternative solution, according to Novotný.