With two major projects falling through since 2006, Zurich is left without a proper football stadium. Now, there seems to be sunlight at the end of the tunnel, as five consortia are bidding to build a football stadium in the Swiss city.
With compact layout and capacity of 16,000 people, the planned new stadium in Hardturm area of Zurich is to be football-specific. Around it 175 economic housing units are planned. And all this should be built with private money in roughly six years (by 2022).
These are the expectations of Zurich municipal authorities, which already failed twice to deliver the long-desired home for FC Zurich and Grasshopper-Club. The huge pentagonal project for Euro 2008 (fell through, just like the much more modest one from 2013. Both rejected by residents.
Experts are vouching for a success in the third attempt primarily because this time the stadium would be built privately, as part of a major PPP project, not with public resources. This puts less of a burden on the municipality and shouldn’t generate similar opposition among the community.
On November 25, the city hall revealed five consortiums interested in the project. The winner will take control of the sports complex and cash in on commercial revenues in years to come. Originally six teams announced interest, but one pulled out. The remaining contenders are:
- BAM Group; Burkard Meyer Architekten; and PSP Swiss Property AG
- HRS Real Estate; Pool Architekten; and Swisscanto Anlagestiftung
- Marazzi AG; BIG Group’ Turidomus, Adimora and Basler Versicherung
- Mettler2Invest AG; Theo Hotz Partner; and Helvetia Insurance
- Stokar + Partner; Caretta Weidmann AG; include Immo Helvetic, Berninvest AG and Immo Invest Partner AG and Huggenbergerfries, Schwaar + Partner and Schwaar +