Comprehensive expansion plans have been drawn up for the Liebenauer Stadium in the City of Graz, Austria.
‘steiermark.orf.at’ stated that the main players involved in the above venue expansion plans are – the City of Graz, the Austrian professional association football club SK Sturm Graz and the Austrian football club GAK 1902. A feasibility study will be carried out to ascertain what is feasible from the financial point of view.
The 16,364-capacity Liebenauer Stadium, known as the Merkur-Arena for sponsorship purposes, is in the Liebenau area of Graz, Styria, Austria. The ground is the home of the football clubs SK Sturm Graz and GAK 1902.
The SK Sturm Graz is an Austrian professional association football club based in Graz (Austria) and plays in the Austrian Football Bundesliga (the top level of the Austrian football league system). The club was founded in 1909. The Liebenauer Stadium serves as their residence.
The GAK 1902 is an Austrian sports club based in the City of Graz in the Federal State of Styria (Austria). It plays in the Austrian Football Bundesliga, the top level of the Austrian football league system. The Liebenauer Stadium serves as their home field.
‘steiermark.orf.at’ further stated that the upgrade works will include, among others, expanding the capacity of the above stadium. The facility will be so upgraded to facilitate the holding of international soccer shows. The feasibility study will be carried out as both the clubs want to know what will be the exact price tag to upgrade the arena.
During Summer this year, both the top-flights had held extensive talks on reconditioning the facility. The clubs did not go looking for alternative options as the question of financials came up.
If total overhaul of the Liebenauer Stadium takes place both the clubs will be able to boast a spiffy home venue offering the best of breed facilities to the fans.
It is planned to increase the capacity of the stadium to more than 20,000 and the objective is to meet the benchmarks laid down by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). More tech bells and whistles are being planned to add to the stadium. The clubs will examine whether the capacity expansion work of the venue can be carried out without disrupting the matchday schedules of the clubs. A streamlined traffic plan will also be drawn up and the fans’ safety quotient will be accorded topmost priority. More restrooms will be built and an expansion of the hospitality space is also being planned. It is also being planned to install a players’ lounge.
The City’s Planning Department will be carrying out the feasibility study and the Real Estate Department will provide support in regard to land acquisitions. The feasibility study is expected to be completed by mid-2025 for which 270,000 euros have been allocated.
The naysayers have termed the stadium upgrade plans as “complete waste of taxpayers’ money”.
Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan as well as the West Asian countries of Cyprus, Armenia and Israel. The UEFA consists of 55 national association members. Since 2022, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FIFA and UEFA has suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.
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