Rotterdam: Pandemic or not, Feyenoord pushes forward

18.09.2020 06:01 source: StadiumDB.com; author: michał

Feyenoord has confirmed the stadium design is progressing to next stage, despite the turbulent COVID-19 reality. But it's not a done deal just yet. Why?

Yesterday Feyenoord has officially announced that the new stadium project is progressing to the next stage. Work on technical documentation of the 63,000-capacity venue is now expected to begin within days. It's a major announcement because some uncertainty was associated with the potential impact COVID-19 could have on the project.

“The road is still long and we are certainly not there yet. But proper steps have been taken in recent months, which give the club and the stadium the confidence that we – hand in hand with many supporters, the municipality and other stakeholders – can get the new stadium done. This despite the current very difficult corona period. As compelx as the project already is, COVID-19 has of course not made things any easier.” said Mark Koevermans, general manager at Feyenoord.

The new stadium is to be built slightly north of the historical De Kuip. It's been in the making since 2016 and early hopes were to break ground by 2018 but these soon proved unrealistic.

Feyenoord City - new stadium in Rotterdam © OMA

Political support and financial structure for this massive project have proven crucial, giving architects at OMA time to refine their design of what will be the most expensive stadium ever built in the Netherlands. Officially the budget is still at some €444 million ($524m), however a change is certain in this regard.

The stadium is only part of the wider revitalisation of the Nieuwe Maas riverside, expected to exceed €1 billion, and the surrounding mixed development is supposed to help finance the football part. Just as a small example, Feyenoord has confirmed the club would not be paying for the technical documentation of its new home, which is expected to be covered by Foundation for Area Development on the Maas.

While reassuring to those fans wanting to relocate from De Kuip, the announcement doesn't end the saga ongoing since 2016. One more, final decision whether to proceed with construction will be made in the autumn of 2021. If approved, the stadium might see first piles driven into the ground in early 2022, with opening scheduled for 2025.