The construction work for the new Salzburg Ducks American football stadium will start before the summer holidays. The nature conservation law negotiations have been completed. The zoning plan must now be changed for the construction.
In June, construction of the American football center in Salzburg-Zurich should begin. The new grandstand will be 9.5 meters high and 85 meters wide. For the construction project, it is necessary to change the zoning plan from “Grassland sports facilities” to “Building land special area grandstand”.
Now only the signatures of the politically responsible are missing, says the chairman of the Salzburg Ducks, Christine Gappmayer. “Everyone is informed. There were different views – if you say that’s secondary, then we might have done that with the artificial turf. But then the opinion prevailed that this is a building in its own right. That’s why you need this rededication. But everyone knows regarding it, and everyone is in favor of it.”
In June, excavators go up
In June, the excavators go up – first the outdoor facilities are erected, says Gappmayer. “That means the artificial turf, the floodlights as well as the rink. When that is finished, the grandstand with 1,500 covered seats will come. And then we can really play American football in Salzburg.”
And for this, artificial turf is the be-all and end-all, emphasizes Gappmayer. “We have more than 300 active players. Now you can imagine: When the men’s team trains, with 60 people on the pitch, then the youngsters and the ladies come, then a field with natural grass would hardly be playable following two to three weeks.”
Outdoor facilities and stands cost 3.2 million euros
The costs for the outer layers and the construction of the grandstand amount to 3.2 million euros – funded by the city and state. The Salzburg Ducks hope to be able to play the Austrian Football League in the new stadium next year.
