Dutch Eredivisie football club Feyenoord has launched a study to determine its future stadium options, with redevelopment of De Kuip on the agenda along with a potential new home.
The latest news comes after the Rotterdam club in November said it was “licking its wounds” and reassessing its options after confirming that plans for a new stadium (pictured) in their current guise would end due to rising costs.
Feyenoord has now said it has commissioned a project group to investigate three options with regards a stadium for the club. Two for the renovation of De Kuip, its home since 1937, and one for a new stadium on the identified plot of land on the River Maas.
Feyenoord said in a statement: “In this way, (we) give substance to the reassessment announced in November, to see whether and, if so, which variant of a new/renovated stadium is good for the club.
“All three plans are judged on the same criteria. This includes looking at construction costs, atmospheric elements, foundation costs, financing and the contribution to Feyenoord’s budget.”
The project group will ask various stakeholders, such as supporters and the Municipality of Rotterdam, for their input. In April, the project group will submit a final report to the management and supervisory board of Feyenoord.
The three options will be assessed against around 20 different criteria. Feyenoord said: “For example, a stadium must enable the sporting ambitions of the club, offer good commercial facilities, be safe and easily accessible. In addition, atmospheric elements, such as sitting close to the pitch and acoustics, are important.”
Feyenoord has commissioned Blauw Research to conduct market research amongst the club’s fans. Feyenoord said this survey will determine whether the original 140 supporters’ wishes for a new stadium need to be adjusted.
In other news yesterday (Thursday), the Netherlands’ Council of State granted the Municipality of Rotterdam, Feyenoord and the Stadion Feijenoord entity further time to work out their plans on how to proceed with the Feyenoord City project.
The new stadium on the Maas was just one part of an ambitious urban redevelopment plan for southern Rotterdam, which incorporates the building of at least 3,700 new houses. A decision on Feyenoord City was due to be entered with Council of State before February 1, but this date has now been put back to May 6.
Feyenoord in November said that “recent developments” in the construction sector were forcing the club to reconsider the many years of efforts to realise the intended new 63,000-seat stadium.
Feyenoord’s vice-chairman of the supervisory board, Gérard Moussault, said construction group BAM had presented the club with a construction cost that had increased from €320m (£268.8m/$364.6m) to €500m.
Image: OMA
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