Czech Extraliga club HC Dynamo Pardubice is set to have the largest ice hockey-focused arena in the world, according to updated plans provided by owner Petr Dědek.
Dynamo was originally given the green light for the project in December, at which point a capacity of 15,000 was mooted. However these plans have been revised following a presentation made by the club yesterday (Thursday) to the City of Pardubice.
Dědek said on Twitter/X: “We presented the economic benefits of the planned multifunctional arena for the city. It is based on the capacity of 22,000 spectators for hockey. The total investment in the complex of buildings, which includes, in addition to the arena, a small hall, a hotel and a parking garage, will be CZK10.5bn (£347.7m/€417.2m/$466.3m).”
The Sport.cz website said the budget for the project, designed by Czech studio OVA, had been set at CZK8bn back in December, adding that the new arena is planned to be in action for August 2027.
Also writing on Twitter/X, Pardubice Deputy Mayor, Jan Hrabal, gave a more precise breakdown of the current capacity plans for the arena, which would total 22,296.
Rozklad plánované kapacity nové arény v @mestopardubice:
— Jan Hrabal (@janhrabal) September 26, 2024Spodní tribuna: 7518 k sezení, 2207 k stání a 44 pro hendikepované.
This, in theory, would see the venue eclipse Saint Petersburg’s SKA Arena as the world’s biggest ice hockey facility. The arena opened in the Russian city back in December with a capacity of 21,500 for ice hockey games.
Dynamo currently plays at the Enteria arena, which first opened in 1960 and has a capacity of around 10,000 for ice hockey.
