Public figures are asking in an open letter what is preventing the construction of a concert hall in Brno

Brno - Personalities of cultural life have addressed the leadership of the city of Brno in an open letter with questions about why the city is delaying the construction of a new concert hall. According to the signatories, the selection process for the contractor could have started more than a year ago. "We are filled with concerns that there are unspecified serious obstacles to the continuation of the project," reads the letter, which is available on the website The Hall That Does Not Exist. Spokesperson for the city hall Filip Poňuchálek told CTK that the tender documentation needs to be discussed again in the city council after individual changes.

"In both news and journalistic media, as well as among experts and the general public, the topic of building a multifunctional ice hockey hall at the Exhibition Center is being discussed, and speculation is rife about which of the large and strategic projects of the city of Brno must give way to this investment. We therefore ask: Why has the city not yet announced the selection process for the contractor for the new concert hall?" the letter continues.

According to Poňuchálek, the council approved the tendering process for selecting the contractor for the hall in the second half of last year. However, the next client will be the Brno Communications company, which has prompted individual changes in the documentation. At the same time, the city leadership wanted to negotiate the operational model of the hall with the Brno Philharmonic.

"For such a significant project, all possible aspects of its construction and the subsequent functioning of the institution are being considered. Regarding the start of construction, it can begin after the selection of the contractor. The tender documentation must be discussed again in the Brno City Council (due to the changes). Once the tender process is approved in the council, it will be possible to announce the selection process," Poňuchálek stated.

The initiators of the letter include music journalist Karla Hofmannová, the director of the Meeting Brno festival Petr Kalousek, and Pavel Šindelář, manager of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra. Other signatories include organist Alena Veselá, who will celebrate her 100th birthday this year and has been fighting for a new hall for decades, as well as Ludmila Němcová, director of the Leoš Janáček Foundation, and conductor Tomáš Netopil.

The hall is intended primarily for the Brno Philharmonic, which currently resides in the inadequately sized and acoustically unsuitable Besední dům. However, the leadership of the Philharmonic remains cautious regarding the open letter. "This is a civic initiative of supporters of the hall. I would rather not comment on its content in light of the ongoing negotiations with the Brno City Hall. For our part, I can only repeat that we truly need a new hall,” stated Philharmonic director Marie Kučerová.

For the construction of the hall, the city has previously selected a plot of land next to the Besední dům between Veselá and Besední streets. So far, only an underground parking lot has been created there. The hall is supposed to be built above it, but the project is stagnating, and passersby can observe only a concrete foundation slab behind a slatted fence instead of construction activity.

"The budget of the city of Brno for this year includes the construction of the new concert hall, and the so-called binding plan for the coming years does as well. However, it will be necessary to update it according to the work schedule, based on the bid from the selected contractor," added Poňuchálek.