It has to if local football side is to use the ground during initial phase of the project. General contractor hopes to launch works on pitch and floodlight relocation next week, according to Sport.pl.

Yet another venue is to get under way in Poland. After restarting works in Białystok, this time builders are to enter the stadium of ŁKS in Łódź, Poland’s third largest city. Not as soon as envisaged (was due in early July), but there's still no threat to existing deadlines.

Contract for the 16,500-seater is signed, but Budus (general contractor) are still waiting for permission to remove trees that currently stand atop of the stands.

Time is definitely not on their side. ŁKS is supposed to play at the stadium throughout the expected redevelopment which includes moving the pitch up north along with floodlight masts. I Liga (2^nd league) starts on August 15^th – in 24 days. Meanwhile operation of moving the crucial elements is to last 21 days. With the contractor still awaiting to enter the site, deadlines are becoming very tight.

Let’s not lose hope as transferring part of the pitch and the masts won’t take more than 3 weeks. All necessary works like drainage and electrical terminals is included. Our task is for the operation not to have a negative impact on the fixtures. Subcontractors have assured us that ŁKS don’t need to seek an alternative venue. We’re not taking any pessimistic scenarios into account, so no ‘emergency exit’ is thought of, Zbigniew Urbaniec, Budus executive assures Sport.pl.

At the same time he stresses that a problematic issue of nearby tennis courts (they are to be removed, but tenants refuse to leave) will not impact works as that part of the plot will not be needed at this time.  

Initially about 100 workers are expected for early stages (demolition of half the current stadium and pitch/mast relocation). As construction of new stands start some 500 people should be on site, while top deployment is expected in early 2013 with 1,000 workers.

The stadium is expected to be done by the end of 2013 with last element – parking lots – delivered in April 2014. Initial capacity is set at 16,500 seats on three stands with the last end zone dependant on private funding. If built, it would raise number of viewers to over 20,000.