Real Sociedad’s Anoeta Stadium to see €50mn revamp, work to begin March 2017

Real Sociedad’s Anoeta Stadium is up for renovation with a projected cost of over €50 million. The revamp work will begin in March 2017. The project will last two-and-a-half years and will be completed on August 2019.

The renovations are not expected to affect Real Sociedad’s home games or force the club to play outside San Sebastián. While the stadium will see a temporary drop in its seating capacity from the current 32,000 to 25,000 during the 2017/18 season, the capacity will be boosted to 42,300 seats by the time the renovation is completed before the 2019/20 season. The name of the stadium is also likely to change by that time.

The work schedule is being planned in a manner so that Real Sociedad do not have to relocate to any other stadium during reconstruction of Anoeta. Here’s a rundown of the schedule put out by stadiumdb.com:

 

March – July 2017

Initially it was expected that work might commence in May 2017, after the current La Liga season. Now the schedule foresees groundbreaking in March. These works would only include several sections outside the stadium. First, piping needs to be rerouted and staircases remodeled to free up space in each corner of the stadium. Then foundation laying for eight tall concrete columns will be laid. Each of these columns will eventually support the stadium’s new roof trusses.

 

July 2017 – July 2018

During the 2017/18 season capacity of the stadium will temporarily fall to 25,000 people, losing some 7,000 seats on the south end. Currently curved, the old stand will be demolished entirely and rebuilt in new form, moved up to 20 meters closer to the field.

At the same time crucial work on the roof will go on. The 8 pillars outside will support four interconnected main trusses hovering over the entire stadium. These will be installed above Anoeta during this period.

 

May – August 2018

While work on the south stand will enter final stage, the La Liga season will end in May. This is when workers are to enter the field and relay it significantly lower than the current one. This will give room for additional rows of seating in front of the west and east stands. Real Sociedad will run complete reconstruction of the lower tier on both east and west sides.

 

August 2018 – August 2019

After the south stand is delivered, interim capacity for the 2018/19 season will reach pre-revamp level of 32,000. At the same time identical stand will be built along the north end, mirroring the south one.

During another summer break further changes will be made to the east and west stands, this time outside. First the cascading staircases will be dismantled, leaving room for a limited expansion of floor space.

 

May 2019 – August 2019

Then, ending the whole project, new stairwells will be made and the entire façades covered with blue cladding, matching the ones on both reconstructed end zones. By that time Real Sociedad will spend over €50 million on the project and reach the goal capacity of 42,300 seats, all in time for the 2019/20 season.

More details on the project will be shared at Coliseum Summit AMERICAS, February 22-23, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada; and subsequently at Coliseum Summit EUROPE, March 29-30, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary.

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