Polish top-tier football club Górnik Zabrze is progressing with the completion of its Arena Zabrze stadium after funding for the project was confirmed.
Work to add a fourth new stand at the Ekstraklasa team’s Arena Zabrze, which is owned by the City of Zabrze, can now take place after the contract for servicing and guaranteeing the issue of bonds worth PLN 103m ($21.5m/£18.2m) was signed.
Three new stands were completed back in 2016 in the first phase of the stadium’s redevelopment at a cost of around PLN 230m. The second phase is slated to cost PLN 100m, with the club stating that construction is in the advanced stage of preparations.
“Many years ago I made a bold decision to build a stadium,” said the Mayor of Zabrze, Dr. Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik.
“This decision and the support of the then councillors and fans of Górnik Zabrze allowed for the design and construction of a fully functional space. Today we are signing an important document that will finance the completion of the construction of the Arena.”
In a statement, officials said the price of the project is “favourable” compared to other similar facilities. As part of the investment in the stand, a modern rehabilitation centre for children and adolescents will be built.
“The adopted financial model for the implementation of the task assumes maintaining a similar financial burden on the city budget in individual years as so far, but with the extension of the period until 2032,” officials added.
Officials said the commencement of construction works is planned for this year and will be led by Stadion w Zabrzu. The first element of the works will be the transfer of TV stands to another part of the ground, which has already been designed and agreed with the broadcasters, with a tender for this job announced this week.
Górnik Zabrze, which has won the Polish championship 14 times but not since the 1980s, was able to continue playing at its home ground during the previous construction work.
Originally constructed in 1934, Arena Zabrze is also known as Ernest Pohl Stadium in honour of the famous Polish footballer who helped Górnik to several titles in the 1950s and 1960s.
Images: Miasto Zabrze / Górnik Zabrze
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