Max-Morlock Stadium revamp moves forward

Image: 1. FC Nuernberg (Facebook)

The City of Nuremberg and 1. FC Nuremberg are pushing ahead with the complete renovation of the Max-Morlock Stadium and have agreed on a planning and financial framework for the work.

FC Nuremberg said the City Council has decided that the complete renovation of the Max-Morlock Stadium should, in the long term, be planned and implemented by a general contractor.

For the necessary preliminary planning step, which will include an in-depth examination of potential savings in stadium construction, an expert will first be sought through a Europe-wide tender.

The 50,000-capacity Max-Morlock-Stadium is a stadium in Nuremberg, Germany, which opened in 1928. It neighbors the 9,400-capacity Nuremberg Arena.

Since 1966, it has served as the home stadium of the German 2. Bundesliga club 1. FC Nürnberg. During the 1972 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted six football matches.

FC Nuremberg said previous plans for the stadium were based on the assumption that the complete renovation of the stadium could be largely refinanced through improved revenue opportunities.

A recent study has now shown, however, that the previous calculations may have overestimated the assumed ticket revenue in a newly built stadium.

Ultimately, it was clear to all involved that lower revenues would require adjustments to the other financial assumptions, and a joint solution for this would have to be developed.

Mayor Christian Vogel said, “There were some intensive discussions between the city and the club. The shared desire to launch something successful for both the city and the club has led us all to overcome many obstacles within our respective areas of responsibility. We have found a common path forward with our project.

“The clear message is: We are moving forward; we all remain behind the project, both the city leadership and the vast majority of the city council and 1. FC Nuremberg. We are still planning a stadium with 50,000 seats for league use, which will be barrier-free, modern, and sustainable.

“However, in the further planning process, all extras will be scrutinized; we will have to build more functionally. There will be a significant reduction in construction costs. This is where the creativity of the potential total contractor is also required.”

Vogel said further detailed information will be provided over the coming weeks on how things will proceed in the coming months and what will happen with sub-projects such as the remaining shell development.

City Treasurer Thorsten Brehm said, “The project is very ambitious from a financial perspective for both the city and the club. Therefore, we are planning carefully, reviewing all the figures, and continuing to work together on the details of a financing concept.

“We have roughly agreed on the key points: Construction costs should be reduced, the rent should not be excessive for FCN, but should increase based on league and success. Furthermore, the next step will be to clarify which funding options the project can specifically benefit from.

“Should there ultimately remain a funding gap, there is a fundamental willingness on the part of politicians to discuss a greater financial commitment from the city. Overall, I maintain that renovating the existing building is not a good option for the city from an economic perspective.”

The City of Nuremberg and 1. FC Nuremberg plan for a complete rebuild of the Max-Morlock Stadium, similar to the recent new stadiums in Karlsruhe and Freiburg, to be planned and built by a general contractor.

However, before anyone can be commissioned to do this, the necessary planning and procurement law must be established.

Given the financial situation, this planning step is now being expanded to include a technical assessment of potential savings.

Various planning concepts regarding historic preservation, sustainability, shell development, and savings, along with their associated cost implications, are to be presented to the City Council this winter. The Nuremberg City Council approved this approach, proposed by Mayor Vogel, in March.

CSU parliamentary group leader Andreas Krieglstein said, “The development of our stadium is an extremely complex undertaking. We have now set out a decisive course of action to reduce the complexity and focus on the essentials.

“The CSU parliamentary group is keen to ensure that 1. FC Nuremberg is not financially overburdened. Rather, the new construction must improve the club’s financial situation. The next planning step will show us exactly where and how much savings can be made before we can actually begin construction.”

Nasser Ahmed of the SPD added, “The SPD is committed to building a new 50,000-seat stadium. 1. FC Nuremberg and the city will continue to work together on this in a spirit of trust.

“It is important that professional football contributes the same share of equity as the taxpayer. And one thing is clear: Renovating the existing stadium would be the worst alternative, not only from a sporting perspective but also for the city’s budget.”

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