Stakeholders behind the proposed new stadium for Dutch Eredivisie football club Feyenoord have announced a one-year delay for the delivery of the venue, stating there were too many risks in sticking to the original timetable.
Officials had targeted start of construction in mid-2020 for an opening in the summer of 2023. However, these dates have now been shifted to April 2021 and June 2024, respectively.
The adapted plans were revealed by Feyenoord and the Stadion Feijenoord group following consultation with the municipality of Rotterdam and the Stichting Gebiedsontwikkeling aan de Maas, which is responsible for development in the local area.
“The progress we are making with the financing of the stadium plan and the selection of a contracting combination give us great confidence,” said Carl Berg, finance director of Stadion Feijenoord.
“However, the collaboration with the municipality and the foundation are just as important for the stadium plan. In the past months we have further mapped out that cooperation and all mutual dependencies. The adjusted schedule is the result of this.”
Project director Frank Keizer cited better coordination of the final design with its accompanying permits and the time required for the stadium site to be made ready for construction as the main reasons behind the change.
He added: “It might have been possible to achieve the original schedule… but there were too many risks involved. We didn’t want that. That is why we have decided to adjust the schedule. The doors of the stadium can be opened in June 2024, so that Feyenoord can play there from the 2024-25 season.”
A new business plan for the project was revealed last month which included a number of changes to the original vision. In December, Feyenoord was given the green light to continue with efforts to develop the largest football stadium in the Netherlands after the project had stalled in recent months.
It was reported in November that local authorities were concerned over major delays for the 63,000-seat project, which has been costed at €444m (£379.2m/$500.9m) and is at the centre of a wider €1.5bn regeneration of the southern part of the city.
Image: OMA
Share this