Over 20,000 seats

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The ageing Graz stadium is finally getting its long-awaited makeover.

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Now it's done! The Graz city government has made up its mind and will rebuild and expand the Liebenau stadium. Up to 23,000 spectators are to be accommodated in the Champions League and international match-compatible arena in future.

The final round of talks took place last Friday and now the endless stadium debate in Graz has finally cleared up: The Merkur Arena is being rebuilt. Less than 24 hours after Sturm knocked league leaders Red Bull out of the stadium with a 5:0 win, the next piece of good news has arrived for most Styrian soccer fans.

"It makes sense that this solution will give both clubs a home that meets modern standards. The fact that we were able to agree on this joint path with SK Sturm Graz and GAK 1902 is more than pleasing," explained Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ), Club Chairman Karl Dreisiebner (Greens) and SPÖ Club Chairwoman Daniela Schlüsselberger in a joint press release.

Planning to be completed by 2025
The spectator capacity is to be expanded from the current 15,300 to up to 23,000 seats. A comprehensive review and feasibility study will be presented to the municipal council at the October meeting. It is reported that all the necessary planning documents should be ready by March/April 2025 - after which talks will be held with the state regarding funding. Governor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP) and Deputy Governor Anton Lang (SPÖ) have never made a secret of the fact that the state will be involved once there are concrete plans in Graz. 

Conversion costs around 45 million euros
The costs for the conversion are estimated at around 45 million euros. The state and city will cover the majority. According to reports, Sturm will also participate - this is not possible with the GAK for financial reasons, as rumored by the city hall. 270,000 has been budgeted for the feasibility study and all preparatory steps. The fact that the stadium in Liebenau, which opened in 1997, is now being renovated after all is due to the fact that the purchase price for the site in Puntigam, where the new building would have been built, was not financially feasible for the city.

The Graz stadium has been in need of renovation for years.

(Bild: Jürgen Radspieler)

Space for 2000 guests in the VIP club
In order to increase spectator capacity, the pitch is to be lowered. The skybox and box extension, which was canceled by the coalition at the beginning of the period, will now also go ahead. Up to 2,000 VIP guests are to be accommodated there in future. Other points of the "fresh cell cure" in Liebenau: expansion of the catering and sales stands, expansion of the press area and club infrastructure, improvement of the parking and access situation, new stadium technology and façade lighting to enable club branding.

The biggest challenge is to ensure that matches can be played during the construction phase. As there is no reasonably suitable alternative for Sturm and the GAK in the whole of Styria.