Max-Morlock-Stadium revamp public consultation

Image: Max-Morlock-Stadium, Florian K., CC BY-SA 3.0

The Mayor of Nuremberg Marcus König (CSU) had announced in July plans to totally revamp the Max-Morlock-Stadium in Nuremberg, Germany. However, a lot of official procedures will have to be met before repurposing work can start in the real sense of the term.

‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ stated that in a presser held at the above facility recently the public consultation process for the renovation work to be carried out began. Present on the occasion were the City Treasurer Thorsten Brehm (SPD), Sports Consultant Cornelia Trinkl (CSU), the Chief Planner Detlef Stenger apart from the Mayor of Nuremberg.

The 50,000-capacity Max-Morlock-Stadium is a stadium in Nuremberg, Germany, which opened in 1928. It is located next to the Zeppelinfeld (venue for major rock and pop concerts). It is also adjacent to the 10,200-capacity Nuremberg Arena. Since 1966, it has been home stadium to the 2. Bundesliga club 1. FC Nürnberg. During the 1972 Summer Olympics, the venue hosted six football matches.

The 1. FC Nürnberg or simply Nürnberg is a German association football club in Nuremberg, Bavaria (Germany), who currently competes in the 2. Bundesliga (the second division of professional football in Germany). The Max-Morlock-Stadium serves as their residence.

One of the club’s Board Members stated that they were aiming to redevelop the facility in such a manner that it emerges as the most “inclusive” arena in Germany. Separate spaces in the venue will be devoted to fans that are on wheelchairs. The stands will too have spaces for wheelchair fans.

‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ further stated that if the City Council gives the nod by next Spring the seating configuration of the facility will undergo a 360 degree change. Plans are being drawn to remove the tartan track (all-weather synthetic track) and the fans can have a more up close view of the pitch. The VIP zone will be expanded.

Ticket prices are expected to rise and once the reconfiguration work is over the capacity of the stadium will come down to 45,000. The plan is to make it a stadium which will remain open 365 days in a year.

Plans are also being drawn up to build two new football fields as well as an athletics arena which would be able to accommodate 20,000 spectators. The sustainability factor will be accorded topmost priority.

Treasurer Brehm affirmed that renovation of the venue is the need of the hour because maintaining the worn-out stadium is burning a hole in the coffers of the City authorities – “Keeping in mind the rising construction costs initially though the price tag of redevelopment was pegged at circa 200 million euros but the same will now see a rise.”

However, much work remains to be done and it could be a “shovel-in-the-ground” situation till 2026 if the entire exercise is approved and the renovation process will be completed by 2030. However, till then, ‘there’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip’.

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• Nuremberg
• renovation

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