Fans have been waiting for a new facility for years. The arena on Piłsudskiego Street is in a terrible state and urgently needs renovation. However, there is not enough funds. The city authorities have already taken the first steps to raise it.

The club's appeals may finally have the desired effect

An investment in the OSiR Stadium in Olsztyn would certainly contribute to the development of football in the city. A new facility would also enable the team to think seriously about returning to the Ekstraklasa - the highest division in Poland. The club last played there in the 2001/2002 season. The Olsztyn team's lack of success also translates into a decline in fan interest, with supporters focusing more on online entertainment - for example using Mostbet PL, a modern bookmaking platform.

As it turns out, the words of the club's authorities have not gone unnoticed. At a press conference, the city's mayor announced that applications had been made for a grant from the government's historic restoration programme, as well as the strategic investment fund. In a letter concerning the latter programme, the mayor indicated two investments for which the magistrate needs funding - the first concerns the development of land for an industrial park on the outskirts of the city, while the second is for the renovation of the OSiR Stadium, which is used by Stomil footballers on a daily basis.

© UM Olsztyn, PiG Architekci | Design from 2015

Mayor of Olsztyn seeks to put pressure on government

He points out that, until now, only those cities whose mayors were sympathetic to the ruling party could count on special favours. However, the pre-election period has shown that the Polish government is willing to make bolder declarations regarding financial support for stadium investments in the country. Examples of this include guarantees to provide funds for the construction of the new Raków Częstochowa venue and Ruch Chorzów's arena on Cicha Street.

The OSiR stadium in Olsztyn was built in 1978. Since then, it has undergone several small upgrades. Nevertheless, fans visiting the facility can feel as if they have stepped back in time to the 1990s. The arena currently has a seating capacity of 4,500, which for a city with 175,000 inhabitants and high ambitions is a very modest number. In 2015, a rendering emerged that showed how the stadium could change after redevelopment - the venue, with its elegant rectangular facade wrapped in a bright, permeable membrane, would have a capacity of 12,000. However, it is not certain that, should funding be obtained, a new design better suited to the prevailing economic and sporting realities would not emerge.

© UM Olsztyn, PiG Architekci | Design from 2015