Stadion Polonii Bytom – stadium description

How did the plans for a new, compact stadium for Polonia Bytom come about?

After the failure of the redevelopment of the Edward Szymkowiak stadium, planned since 2014 (a deal with the contractor was signed in 2018, but after dismantling some elements of the stadium, including the seats and the roof, the company executing the investment, S-Sport, withdrew from the contract at the end of the year), the facility was left in ruins.

Polonia Bytom moved to the Szombierki stadium out of necessity, and later also played their matches at the Edward Szymkowiak stadium, although due to its condition, these were held without the public. The facility also lacked proper facilities, so steps were taken to ensure that this situation did not continue indefinitely.

When were the plans for Polonia Bytom's new stadium conceived?

The architectural concept for Polonia Bytom's new stadium can be viewed on a separate subpage

In 2020, plans were made for a new, smaller stadium to be built on Piłkarska Street, right next to the Edward Szymkowiak stadium (to the west of it). At the time, there were long disused training pitches there, created partly on the site of the former spoil heap of the nearby 'Centrum' mine.

The facility was ultimately to be used for a football academy, but by the time the main stadium was rebuilt (which appears to be a distant prospect), it was also to become home to the Polonia Bytom first team. A new club building was also part of the project.

When was Polonia Bytom's new stadium built?

You can see an account of the construction of the new Polonia Bytom stadium on a separate subpage

The tender for the construction in the design-and-build formula was announced on December 30, 2020. The contract with the main contractor, Tamex Obiekty Sportowe SA, was signed on June 10, 2021, with a contract value of PLN 30.478 million. During the first six months, work on the design documentation was underway and construction work began on February 7, 2022. The design was carried out by ABM - Anna and Bartosz Michalscy s.c.

The contract covered the first phase of construction, which was to include a new pitch, one stand and a club building. On August 23, 2023, the first training sessions took place at the new facility. The first match and the actual inauguration of the new arena took place on September 2, 2023, when Polonia Bytom faced Pogoń Siedlce (1:1) in a 2 Liga (third division) game.

What are the characteristics of the Polonia Bytom stadium?

Polonia Bytom's new stadium has a full-size pitch with an artificial surface and metal-framed stands located on the eastern side. Behind the south gate is the three-storey clubhouse. On the other side, a modest visitor sector was located. Four 36-meter-high masts equipped with LED floodlights stand at the corners.

The stands on the eastern side are divided into five segments. The central section (sector B), with a capacity of 255 people, is covered. There are seats for the media and guests of the club. The seats to the north of the central section are the family sectors (A1, A2), with no smoking. The sectors on the other side (C1, C2) belong to fans actively supporting the club. The total capacity of the stands is 1175 spectators.

The club building is divided into three storeys. Ultimately, the entire ground floor is to be used by the academy, the first floor will house the senior teams' changing rooms, physiotherapy offices and doping control rooms, and the second floor will house, among other things, the club museum, a café with a viewing terrace and rooms for the new e-sports section. There are photovoltaic panels on the roof. The rooms on the first and second floors are to be fully finished in the second phase of construction.

The second phase of construction also includes the construction of a second stand to stand on the west side. It is to be of a better standard than the eastern stand. The new stand will be of reinforced concrete construction, erected slightly higher and covered, and will be equipped with full facilities for the media. Only after the second stand has been built will the visitors' sections be launched. The target capacity of the stadium is 2220 spectators.

What are the further plans for Polonia Bytom's new stadium?

It is planned that the full completion of the investment will take place in 2024. The second stage of the works (construction of the second stand, finishing the upper storeys of the club building, expansion of the roads around the facility) is expected to take several months and should cost several million zlotys. The facility meets the requirements for playing matches in the 2 Liga (third division), and with a small outlay it will also be able to be adapted for 1 Liga matches (second division).

In the longer term, the Edward Szymkowiak stadium should be redeveloped, and the facility on Piłkarska Street will be used mainly for the academy and training purposes, but the vision of redeveloping the main stadium seems rather distant at present.