2024-04-26 11:17:02
- “Levski” would enter his “home” on rent or with a limited right of use
- The municipality wants “Yunak” to become a multifunctional sports hall, and “Septemvri” from Polyani – a modern complex
The Metropolitan Municipal Council tasked the Mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, with requesting from the state the sports complex “Gerena”, including the football stadium “Levski” “Georgi Asparuhov”, as well as the “Septemvri” and “Yunak” stadiums. This was unanimously voted by the municipal councilors with 45 votes “for”.
However, the transition of the three important sites to municipal assets can only happen if the Council of Ministers approves it.
“We see that sports fields are not managed in the best possible way. I think that we can be a much better partner and manager than the state and develop the sport”, explained the head of SOS Tsvetomir Petrov.
The decision was made after examining the condition and ownership of the sports facilities in the capital. The opinion has been reached that the municipality can be a better owner of these three stadiums. 100% state participation was sought, this was the reason why, for example, the “Rakovski” stadium was not requested by the Ministry of the Interior, but was given to a private person for 30 years.
“Georgi Asparuhov” Stadium cannot be given to a concession. The idea is that the municipality is a more flexible partner than the state. The options are that it can be rented out or given a limited right of use, or for the construction of certain facilities inside”, explained the head of the sports commission in the municipality, Dimitar Shalafov.
He added that the decision of what will happen to him is up to the Metropolitan Municipality.
“Our view is that the stadiums should be managed much better and the idea is to renovate and build new and modern facilities that can be used by the citizens of Sofia. It remains to be seen what will happen and how the projects for these facilities will be realized. This will also depend on the activity of the sports clubs. We are aware that to “Gerena”
there is interest from “Levski” and they will have to present a project for construction and financing,
if they have one. If the priorities coincide, and if the law allows it, some procedure can be started, but first these properties must be transferred to us”, said Shalafov.
“Let’s first see if the state will transfer it to us, then talks with the users of the stadium will follow. Their intentions will be specified, presented and discussed at the municipal council”, added Tsvetomir Petrov on the subject.
Yunak Stadium could be turned into a multifunctional sports hall. Such was the idea and desire of the team of Mayor Vasil Terziev. There has been a similar idea over the years.
The plans for the Septemvri stadium, which currently looks more like a meadow, were to “turn it into a wonderful sports complex with modern pitches”. It can be provided to Sport Sofia, which will manage it. “This is just an idea, but “Sport Sofia” manages two rather large sports facilities – in the Boris garden and the “Vazrazhdane” park. “The stadium has been abandoned for many years,” explained Tsvetomir Petrov.
According to Shalafov, the possibility of a public-private partnership for the three stadiums has not been discussed at this stage.
Furthermore,
if by 5 years the municipality does not realize its intentions, by law the properties will return to the state
“The properties will be studied, and then projects and concepts will be made if the state decides to transfer them to the municipality. Our goal is to make them modern sports facilities”, added the head of the SOS.
The public interest in what is happening with “Gerena” is the greatest. It is in the easier realization of the “blue” dream of a new stadium that the “flexibility” that SOS talks about is expressed.
On January 31, 2024, “Levski” founded the company “Stadion Georgi Asparuhov” EAD, 100% owned by PFK “Levski” AD.
“The goal is to work actively to improve the overall infrastructure of the club, including the implementation of the most important step related to the development of Levski, namely – construction or complete reconstruction of a football stadium that meets the high standards and expectations of “blue” supporters”, announced then from “Levski”.
On February 29, through the company “Georgi Asparuhov Stadium”, EAD “Levski” officially submitted to the Sofia Regional Administration and the Ministry of Youth and Sports an application to start a procedure for the establishment of a free construction right for the “Georgi Asparuhov” stadium. The request is for the acquisition of all rights for the club to invest and manage the stadium in the long term.
This is how it came to April 25, 2024, when SOS officially requested the ownership of the sports complex, including the Georgi Asparuhov stadium.
The vote in the municipality caused violent reactions among CSKA fans. Various groups are talking about protests, since “they will build a stadium for Levski, as they built for Botev (Plovdiv), and Levski will use it for a modest rent.” They draw a parallel that at the same time CSKA established a company together with the state (with 50% participation) to build a new stadium.
The additional pressure of the situation comes from the fact that on April 11, 2024, the SOS accepted a rescheduling of the debts of “Levski” to the municipality in the amount of slightly over 2 million BGN, accumulated in the period 2016 – 2020. The club will pay in monthly installments for 3 years.
The dismantling of the CSKA stadium in Borisova Garden is currently underway. The new one should be ready by 3 years.
The requested ownership of the “Septemvri” and “Yunak” stadiums immediately met with resistance from the Sports Ministry.
It was not notified by the Metropolitan Municipality of its intentions to acquire SK “Septemvri” and stadium “Yunak”. Regarding the initiated procedure and the report accepted by the SOS, no opinion was sought from the department.
“Due to the lack of clearly stated reasons for the need for the acquisition of the properties in question and clarity regarding their future management, use, maintenance and modernization, the Ministry of Youth and Sports expresses its disagreement with the said properties becoming the property of the Capital Municipality”, the department officially announced.