2019 RETROSPECTIVE – Investments in SPORTS most interesting to eKapija users

The construction of a national stadium, the reconstruction of the existing ones and new stadiums throughout Serbia, the renewal of sports courts and halls, the so-called “stadiumization” definitely marked the sports year behind us. The projects which had been discussed for years or even decades seem to have finally gained some traction. Still, with only several of them finished, most remained at the level of architectural projects in 2019 as well.

The participation of Serbian football and basketball teams in European tournaments in the past years has led to the need to address the problems of the domestic sports infrastructure. In line with the standards set by the UEFA, several cities throughout Serbia should get new stadiums, and the beginning of the construction has been announced for the spring of 2020. Along with the construction of new stadiums, state officials ambitiously announce entire complexes in future locations, which, they say, will also bring new investments and jobs for the cities.

The story about the national stadium went as far as the choosing of a location in Surcin and the first tenders for geodetic surveys in 2019. The announcements were accompanied with a discussion of the necessity and financial feasibility of the construction.

The plans and the concrete works also include certain sports courts and halls. Several of them were reconstructed, creating better conditions for domestic basketball and handball clubs, athletes and gymnasts.

Whether 2020 will bring an epilogue to the “stadiumization” saga remains to be seen. We will certainly follow all the events and report on them, and in the meantime, let us look back on the sports projects which marked 2019, causing the most attention from the public.

Partizan FC stadium

In late September 2018, the Detailed Regulation Plan of the Partizan Sports Complex was put up for early public review. Creating planning possibilities for the reconstruction and construction of new features, securing technical infrastructure capacities for the planned construction, maintaining and improving environmental conditions and implementing a self-sustaining and ecologically stable system were cited as the special objectives of the preparation of the DRP.

The planned features are divided into three functional spatial units: a football stadium with side features, indoor sports courts with side features and outdoor sports courts.

National football stadium

Last year's announcements of the construction of a national football stadium began in April, when it was revealed that the plan was for the stadium to be built in Surcin. As said at the time, “the grandiose stadium will spread on 35 hectares, and with its side facilities and features on a total of 430 hectares, it will be able to take in 60,000 spectators”.

Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali announced that the construction of the National Football Stadium in Surcin would start very soon and that the completion was expected in two and a half to three years. According to the announcements made at the time by the head of the Football Association of Serbia, the project should cost 50 to 70 million euros, and Mali pointed out that the concept should be named Stadium City. According to him, the plan is for an entire city to function within the stadium.

The first concrete steps toward the construction of the national football stadium were taken in September 2019, when the first public procurement procedure opened, pertaining to the preparation of a geodetic and geological basis for the purposes of the Spatial Plan of the special purpose area of the National Football Stadium in Surcin.

In November, Mali announced that the construction might start by mid-2020, and EUR 250 million was set aside for the construction in late 2019.

Renovation of “Pionir”

The Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, popularly known as Pionir, which opened in 1973, saw a long awaited renovation in 2019. The expansion of the capacities, the replacement of the parquet flooring and an increase of the safety level were necessary due to the harmonization with the FIBA standards. The Pionir Hall opened in October.



Loznica stadium

According to the projects of reconstruction and construction of stadiums throughout Serbia, Loznica is also to get a new, UEFA-ready, stadium. The capacity will be 8,000 to 8,500 spectators, and two football courts are planned as well.

(The Loznica stadium design)

“Karadjordje” stadium in Novi Sad

Although it was previously announced that the stadium of Vojvodina FC in Novi Sad will be reconstructed, the management of this football club announced that the Karadjordje stadium didn't even meet the requirements for the third qualifying round of the Europa League and that a new stadium was to be built. As they pointed out, this will be an investment worth EUR 25 million and the construction will be carried out with the support of the Republic of Serbia in the same location where the current stadium is now.



The club's management later said that a preliminary design already existed, and you can see here what it should look like.

Kraljevo stadium

Kraljevo should also get a new, modern stadium, with 8,000 seats. The planned court should have 105x68m, with artificial grass, in line with the requirements of the UEFA and the investor.



Zajecar stadium

Zajecar is one of the six towns, together with Subotica, Loznica, Kraljevo, Leskovac and Vranje, to get a new stadium. A stadium with 8,186 seats and meeting the UEFA standards should be built in Zajecar around one kilometer south of the city center, on the outskirts of Kraljevica, within the existing sports and recreation complex.



Red Star Belgrade stadium

The results of the architectural contest for the reconstruction of the Rajko mitic stadium were presented in June 2019, and the authors of the best three solutions of the 17 sent were awarded with an augmented third prize. Two works featuring a running track and one without it met the commission's criteria, such as cost effectiveness, sustainability (one solution features solar panels), the possibility of realization, but also fitting the stadium into the current cityscape.

Still, it seems that the reconstruction project was abandoned in late 2019, and the director general of Red Star Belgrade, Zvezdan Terzic, announced that the club would get a new stadium worth around EUR 200 million.

A court and climbing rock in Kosutnjak

The construction of a multifunctional court within the Institute for Sports and Sport Medicine of the Republic of Serbia in Kosutnjak began in June. The works are expected to be completed in early 2021. The project envisages the construction of a hall for wrestling, judo, taekwondo, karate, archery, weightlifting and sport climbing. The plan also includes a gym, a court for tournaments and ball sports, but also a section for relaxation.



The construction of two artificial rocks for sport climbing, a boulder rock and a 17-m rock, began in March and is in progress. They will be located close to the Institute's stadium.

Leskovac stadium

Leskovac, once known as the Serbian Manchester, should get a stadium modeled after those in England. The new stadium will have a capacity of at least 8,000 spectators, and the preliminary design features space for 8,244. The court will be 68 meters wide and 105 meters long.


Take a look at the full list of investments in the SPORTS category and compare it to your opinions, expectations and estimates.

We also invite you to take a look at the investments which marked 2019 in the fields of TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND IT, REAL ESTATE (RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE SPACE), TOURISM, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION and PUBLIC UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY.

eKapija.com Beograd

Ministarstvo finansija Republike Srbije

Fudbalski savez Srbije

Zavod za sport i medicinu sporta Republike Srbije Beograd

FIBA

UEFA

Partizan FC

Red Star Belgrade

VojvodinaFC

Siniša Mali

Zvezdan Terzić

Partizan FC stadium

Aleksandar Nikolić Hall

Pionir

Pionir Hall

reconstruction of Pionir Hall

stadiums

construction of stadiums

National Football Stadium

eKapija retrospective

eKapija retrospective 2019

retrospective sports

retrospective sports 2019

football

basketball

football courts

Karađorđe stadium

Rajko Mitić stadium

Marakana

construction of Marakana