The proposal by Frankfurt's head of sports department, Mike Josef (SPD), to build the planned multifunctional hall next to the Waldstadion, neither at the Kaiserlei nor at the airport, met with great interest among the four parties in the Roman alliance.

As reported, Josef wants to have a 13,500-seat multi-purpose arena built on the former site of the velodrome between the Waldstadion and the Stadionbad, where basketball, volleyball and ice hockey games will be played and concerts will be held.

There are now three locations to choose from, apart from the Kaiserlei and the airport.

Rainer Schulz

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

  • Follow I follow

In 2006 there had already been an attempt to build a multi-purpose hall at this location.

A Berlin project developer wanted to build a hall in which both the Frankfurter Löwen's ice hockey pros and the Skyliners' basketball players would play.

The developer also wanted to host concerts and TV shows.

But the city's tender failed in 2009, partly because of the financing, but also because of the competition with the Waldstadion and its "event management".

Rapprochement between Greens and SPD

The framework conditions have changed in the meantime, says Josef.

He wants to involve Frankfurter Eintracht, which now also operates the Waldstadion as the main tenant, possibly also as the operator of the multifunctional hall.

But an investor is still necessary if the city does not want to invest its own money.

The financing concept is not yet fixed, according to Josef's department.

One option would be to lease the property as a long-term lease.

But normally the costs are refinanced by operating the hall.

It is unclear how this should succeed if Eintracht were set as the operator.

The Greens, who were previously in favor of the Kaiserlei location, still speak of an "interesting idea" that should now be examined more closely, as the planning policy spokeswoman Julia Frank says.

The discussion about the Kaiserlei and airport locations is deadlocked, the development of the halls would not be favorable in either place.

Before making a decision, Frank wants to make sure that all major sports clubs would also play in the hall at the stadium.

The SPD faction leader Ursula Busch, previously a supporter of the competing project "The Dome" at the airport, thinks it's right to take a closer look at the area at the Waldstadion.

However, there are still many questions to be clarified: from development to "event planning", which has to be coordinated between the hall and the stadium.

The biggest advantage is the already existing building rights, because the hall is already secured in the development plan: "It could happen quickly here."

FDP and Volt agree

The FDP parliamentary group leader Yanki Pürsün considers the property to be the most suitable even compared to the other variants.

"This is a top location with the right infrastructure and use," he says.

It has been tried and tested to gather many people at once “on this corner”.

However, the stadium should not be weakened as a venue.

He also has a high level of sympathy for a self-sustaining financing concept - without municipal funds.

The Volt parliamentary group leader Martin Huber speaks of a “turnaround in the discussion”.

He also sees many advantages, for example in terms of development and existing building rights.

It has been proven that mass events on the stadium grounds work.

Huber also wants to avoid the city spending its own money on the hall if possible: "We need an investor."

From the point of view of the sports department, the location at the stadium is the most suitable.

The transport infrastructure - parking spaces, S-Bahn, trams - is already available and can be used efficiently.

In addition, the city sees itself in the tradition of the sports park, which has always been characterized by other sports in addition to football.

The hall does not compete with the Waldstadion, which also hosts large pop concerts and other events, but is a "good addition".

Traffic conflicts at parallel events can be expected on around 15 days a year.

Josef also attaches great importance to the fact that the large Frankfurt sports clubs use the hall: "It is an offer for all clubs." However, it is not so easy to integrate the Frankfurt Lions in particular.

The association has committed itself to the "The Dome" project by means of a preliminary contract and in return is financially supported by its investors.

The company has now announced that it wants to build its multifunctional hall "in the surrounding area" because the city does not support the project at the airport.

Exactly where will be announced in May.

The lions then want to play their games beyond the city limits.

It was always clear that the Löwen would not play in any arena other than The Dome, says Löwen Managing Director Stefan Krämer.