Status: 22/09/2022 20:40
HSV CFO Thomas Wüstefeld explained his restructuring plans for the Volksparkstadion to the Hamburg Parliament. Asked whether the Hanseatic city would support the financially struggling second division soccer team as a guarantor, there was a broad denial.
The refurbishment is expected to cost 33 million euros – this figure was first announced publicly by Wüstefeld, so that the stadium remains in the running as the venue for EM 2024. The club can raise ten million euros for the “first of three packages of measures “, the HSV board of directors said Thursday in the one-hour meeting, citing additional income as a reason, because in the first matches at the Volksparkstadion many more spectators of the season arrived than previously calculated .
Additional money will come in the form of a loan of tens of millions from HSV’s main sponsor, HanseMerkur. HSV needs a guarantee for this.
Millions for the refurbishment of the stadium have gone
The city of Hamburg bought the Volkspark stadium property from the traditional club two years ago for € 23.5 million. The HSV should actually use the money for the refurbishment of the stadium.
In fact, the second division club has invested millions in ongoing business operations, which were very much at a loss during the corona pandemic. The annoyance in much of the policy for HSV’s handling of the proceeds from the sale of the stadium land is therefore great.
VIDEO: Can HSV still afford Wüstefeld’s advice? (5 minutes)
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Wüstefeld optimistic despite the refusal
“Mr. Wüstefeld, you have told us that you are discussing a lot and that now you are also in negotiations. Let’s cross our fingers to find someone to take care of the guarantee. So that we don’t have to work on this issue yet. That would be our wish.” , cites the “Bild” the president of the citizenship budget commission, Mathias Petersen (SPD).
A decision has not yet been made, but the atmosphere in the Hamburg City Hall Ballroom has made it clear that not a penny will flow into the Volkspark. Wüstefeld, who should once again have the opportunity to provide numbers, remains optimistic. “I assume that the European Championship will also take place in Hamburg,” he said after the hearing.
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