In May, Holstein Kiel was promoted to the Bundesliga, and on August 24, the "Storks" will play their first match of the new season. However, the stadium in Kiel still does not meet the requirements of the top league. The city authorities have already announced a tender for the renovation, with a contract worth €75 million on the table. The city only partially has this amount at its disposal.

What needs to be changed?

Currently, Holstein-Stadion can accommodate around 15,000 spectators, with 5,239 seats. In the Bundesliga, the stadium must have at least 8,000 seats, which poses a challenge because adding more seats might reduce the overall capacity below the required 15,000. Additionally, the current lighting system, upgraded in 2009 to 1200 lux, only meets the second division standards, while the Bundesliga requires 1800 lux.

Another area requiring improvement is the media infrastructure. The number of press seats must increase from 65 to 112. Additionally, the stadium must double the number of parking spaces for the media and expand the conference room. The facility is also not adequately equipped for people with disabilities. In the short term, after promotion, the club installed goal-line technology and press facilities, but in the long term, the stadium requires a complete overhaul.

There are currently three possible options for the redevelopment of Holstein Kiel's stadium. The final choice of approach depends on feasibility and costs – the renovation may cost up to €75 million. A few weeks ago, the kn-online.de portal created a poll where fans could vote for the option they preferred the most.

© Grenzenlos Groundhopping

Three options

The first option involves rotating the pitch 90 degrees, with a new main stand being built in the first phase of construction, replacing the section currently occupied by the most dedicated fans, who would then have to move to the southern stand.

The second option involves keeping the pitch in its current location, which is certainly the least demanding solution. However, architects would have to leave the northeast corner of the stadium open due to strict zoning restrictions. Even in the northwest, the stadium would not be fully enclosed due to limited space. However, a large box, modeled after the current Holstein stadium's craftsman stand – a closed space for about 200 guests in standing places – is envisioned.

The last option involves shifting the pitch to the southwest, towards the current sports hall. The advantage of this solution is that stands could be built in every corner of the stadium, making Holstein-Stadion a fully enclosed football arena, similar to the option with the rotated pitch.

However, the disadvantage of this option is that several existing stands would be affected by demolition in the first phase of the investment, which would result in a significant reduction in the facility's capacity. Kiel does not intend to relocate to a temporary stadium during the construction period. Additionally, the adjacent Holsteinhalle, the sports hall to the southwest, would have to be demolished much earlier than originally planned.

© Grenzenlos Groundhopping

What about parking?

Building and sports councilor Gerwin Stöcken (SPD) said that work would have to be carried out during the season. There are three planning options, as mentioned earlier, but companies interested in the tender should design the details themselves. The state capital's council approved the need for redevelopment by a large majority – only the Left and Die Partei factions opposed it. Ove Schröder (Die Partei) called for reconsidering the investment and, given the budget situation, finding an alternative solution that would also include savings in the social sector.

For the CDU, however, something else is more important: parking. The current tender only covers the stadium, not parking facilities. Stöcken justified this with a financial argument: the budget is limited, otherwise we would exceed the EU aid limit of €30 million. The state of Schleswig-Holstein has pledged €20 million, and the city is contributing €10 million. Another €25 million is to be financed through the capital market, with the city providing a guarantee.

Private investor Gerhard Lütje, managing director of Citti wholesale markets and a long-time sponsor of Holstein Kiel, initially promised the remaining €20 million – but when the option without a garage was chosen, he threatened to contribute only €13 million.

A city spokesperson assured that parking spaces would be provided. However, the CDU demanded immediate parking planning at the council meeting: We want the process to run in parallel so that the stadium and parking are built simultaneously, said councilor Sebastian Tiede. Building a parking lot is not rocket science and is also part of the infrastructure: The zoning plan and the football association foresee this. Green Party councilor Arne Stenger opposed these plans: We are trying to move away from a car-friendly city, and this should apply here as well.

One thing is clear: regardless of which option is ultimately chosen, matches at Holstein-Stadion will take place during the construction period. The club's head of sports made this clear. Due to the burden of two clubs, an alternative stadium would not be in Hamburg, but in Hanover – and in my opinion, this is unacceptable for Holstein Kiel. The city of Kiel, the stadium's owner, hopes the modernization will begin at the start of the 2025/26 season.

© Grenzenlos Groundhopping

Poor infrastructure, but expensive?

Despite the infrastructure that doesn't fit the Bundesliga and the fact that the team is newly promoted, Kiel is already leading the league in one respect: ticket prices. This primarily concerns season tickets for children, which cost €640, and for adults, which cost €880. I feel bad about it, said councilor Pascal Schmidt during the debate. The club promised moderate increases, but the price for the upcoming season is capitalism at its worst.