Noul stadion Nicolae Dobrin – design description

What did the old stadium in Piteşti look like?

The stadium in the Trivale district of Piteşti was opened in 1964, with FC Argeș playing there and winning the Romanian championship in 1972 and 1979. Since 2002, the venue has been named after Argeș's top footballer of the time, Nicolae Dobrin. The stadium had an athletics track and embankment stands with a capacity of over 15,000 spectators. The last modernisation was carried out in 2008.

When were the first plans for the redevelopment of the Piteşti stadium conceived?

On March 15, 2017, the then incumbent mayor of Piteşti, Cornel Ionică, presented a concept for the modernisation of the stadium. The facility was to undergo a major overhaul and the stands along the pitch were to be extended and covered. The stadium was to retain its athletics track, also its capacity was to remain at a similar level as before. The cost of implementing the plan was estimated at 70 million lei.

In June 2020, it was confirmed that the investment would be handled by the government company Compania Națională de Investiții (CNI), within the framework of the national programme for construction of public or social importance. On July 2, 2020, Cornel Ionică presented an updated concept for the modernisation of the stadium. One of the major changes compared to the 2017 vision was the full roofing of the stands. Although the project looked more ambitious, the estimated cost was lower (49.5 million lei).

When was the latest concept for the new stadium in Piteşti created?

In August 2021, a contract was signed with a group of companies led by SC Tecon SRL to prepare a feasibility study with a new vision for the stadium. On September 27, 2022, at a press conference, Mayor Cristian Gentea presented a completely new concept. This time the plans had changed dramatically. The existing venue was to be demolished and a brand new, football-specific stadium was to be built in its place.

When will the new stadium in Piteşti be built?

On January 11, 2023, the government approved plans to build a new stadium in Piteşti. In September 2023, demolition of the old stadium began and is expected to take six months. Due to the demolition, FC Argeș players have temporarily moved to Stadionul Orășenesc in Mioveni, about 15 km away.

Once the demolition is complete, the construction of the new stadium will be able to proceed. The contractor is to be given three years for this task, with seven months reserved for design work. The assumed cost of the investment is 495 million lei, significantly more than when only the upgrade of the existing stadium with running track was planned. The construction will be financed by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration, with a small part of the cost also to be borne by the city.

What will the new stadium in Piteşti be like?

The new stadium will have a football-specific, rectangular layout. The stands will surround the pitch on all sides and will be fully covered and shielded from the outside by a façade. Capacity will be 15,200 spectators, with VIP boxes and 14 skyboxes. The stadium is expected to meet UEFA Category 4 requirements. Among other things, martial arts facilities and a club museum are planned under the stands.