NEWS
Perennial Stadium Issue: Sturm and GAK Want to Buy Building Rights
In Graz, Liebenau Stadium is a perennial issue, both for the football clubs and in politics. Work on a solution continues.
The stadium issue in Graz continues to stir emotions!
A definitive solution is still not in sight. Sturm president Christian Jauk has now revealed a new proposal in an interview with the "Kleine Zeitung".
"The truth is that we want to buy the building rights from the City of Graz, as is the case in other cities," said Jauk.
It's About 30 Million Euros
Specifically, the current proposal from clubs Sturm and GAK is as follows: "The clubs will take over the entire investment from the city and we will operate the stadium. This would save taxpayers a double-digit million sum, and the perennial arguments against the stadium would become obsolete."
The City of Graz would save almost 30 million Euros this way, according to a letter from the two clubs to politicians. The offer is met with considerable openness there, as City Councillor Manfred Eber (KPÖ) confirmed to the "Kleine Zeitung".
The Question of the Operating Concept
The decisive factor is not the legal form, but a financially sound overall concept. However, the question of the operating concept remains open.
Should the building rights solution actually come about, ownership of the land would fundamentally remain with the city.
The clubs would, however, have extensive powers for a long period, such as renovations and expansions, as well as long-term investment decisions.
