Hacker unimpressed

Vienna calls national stadium plans “boyish dreams”

Styrian Governor Christopher Drexler's desire to bring the new national stadium envisaged by Federal Chancellor and ÖVP party colleague Karl Nehammer in his "Austria Plan" by 2030 to Styria has brought movement into the debate! "At the moment, we are still in the realm of pipe dreams," countered Vienna's SPÖ sports councillor Peter Hacker on ORF's "ZiB 1" on Friday. He said he was concerned with "preparing really feasible steps cleanly and properly". 

The Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, where Austria's national soccer team plays its most important home games, is the largest stadium in the country with a capacity of 48,500 seats, but no longer meets the latest requirements. The ÖFB has been pushing for the construction of a new arena for years. Most recently, team boss Ralf Rangnick also discussed the issue in personal talks with Nehammer and Vice-Chancellor and Sports Minister Werner Kogler (Greens).

(Bild: GEPA)

"It's good when there are several interested parties!"
Three weeks ago, Drexler brought Unterpremstätten near Graz into play as a possible location. "It doesn't all have to be in Vienna," emphasized the state leader, who will most likely have to fight a state election in November. "If the federal government is already spending money to build a national stadium, I am of course in favor of it happening in Styria." Nehammer commented on the Styrian initiative with the words: "It's good when there are several interested parties and the discussion picks up speed."

Kogler wants to push ahead with the project in Vienna and feels that the Styrian idea lacks a suitable transport concept. "We won't solve the problem with a few shuttle buses," the Green Party leader told ORF. In principle, however, the initiative would have the positive effect that "the federal capital Vienna would also get going much faster than has been the case so far", said Kogler.

In his "Austria Plan", Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer has set the goal of a new national stadium by 2030 ...(Bild: GEPA pictures ROLAND SCHLAGER Krone KREATIV,)

"Everyone dreams that the national stadium is on their doorstep!"
At Vienna City Hall, however, they are cautious. "At the moment, everyone is dreaming that the national stadium will be on their own doorstep in their province," said Hacker. According to a substance analysis of the roof and construction of the Happel Stadium presented by his department in the fall, it would still be fit for use for another four to five decades. No stakeholder or party has yet provided any concrete information on the possible costs of a new building - but they are likely to be in the mid three-digit million euro range.

The ÖFB is currently building a training center in Vienna-Aspern. The federal government and the City of Vienna are each providing 23.14 million euros in funding for the infrastructure project, which costs just over 70 million euros. Austria's largest professional sports association is covering the remaining 24 million euros itself.