The repair of the winter stadium in Třebíč will cost nearly 517 million crowns

Třebíč - The repair of the winter stadium in Třebíč will cost 516.9 million crowns. The start of the work is planned for April, depending on the conclusion of the current season for the local hockey club. The city repeatedly searched for a contractor, canceling the original contract due to overly high bid prices, Třebíč Mayor Pavel Pacal (For Třebíč) told reporters today. The winner of the new competition is a consortium of companies PKS stavby and Geosan.

According to Pacal, the city benefited from canceling the contract, for which eight companies were vying, and re-tendering it. It achieved lower proposed prices than in the first competition, including from the consortium PKS stavby and Geosan, whose bid was the lowest in the first competition as well. "A year ago, construction material prices were completely different, and there wasn't such a hunger for contracts as there is now, which forces companies that normally wouldn’t participate in such contracts to get involved. The price of materials and labor has dropped, with estimates of around 30 percent, which corresponds here. We see this in other competitions as well," said Pacal.

For the first time, Třebíč announced the competition in August 2022. Opposition councilor Blanka Kutinová (Třebíč for Citizens!) then stated that it was just a gesture before the local elections. After them, the mayor and two deputy mayors remained in office. In December 2022, the city administration canceled the contract, citing the excessively high prices in the received bids. According to Pacal, the lowest bid at that time was 577 million crowns, and even with an inflation clause, the work would have cost 606 million crowns. The city re-announced the contract last October.

The city has been promised a grant of about sixty million from the region and is seeking grants from the National Sports Agency. It could receive up to 40 million crowns.

The modernization of the winter stadium, scheduled to be completed by January 2026, aims to primarily improve its facilities. The plan includes expanding the rear section to create changing rooms and sanitary facilities, which, according to previous statements by the mayor, are inadequate. The seating area and cooling technology will also be modified. The outdated ammonia system will be replaced with a freon one. The venue currently accommodates up to 5,000 people, with a significant portion of standing room. After the renovations, the seating will be for 2,600 people, all seated. "But the most important thing is that the facilities for youth and all athletes using the winter stadium will improve dramatically in terms of changing rooms and sanitary facilities," said Pacal.

The winter stadium began construction in 1956 and was completed in 1959. Twelve years later, it underwent its first major renovation, and in 1977 it was covered. However, the roof collapsed after a few days, resulting in the deaths of two people. The stadium reopened to the public in 1980. It has been under the ownership of the city since 1998.