Lithuania National Stadium

The Lithuania National Stadium (Lithuanian: Nacionalinis stadionas) is a multi-use stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania, which is under construction. It is planned mostly for football matches and is scheduled to host the home matches of the Lithuania national football team. It would replace the demolished Žalgiris Stadium and the current LFF Stadium as the main stadiums in Vilnius.

Lithuania National Stadium
Lietuvos nacionalinis stadionas
LocationVilnius, Lithuania
Coordinates54°42′30″N 25°15′28″E
Capacity15,000[1]
Construction
Built2023–2025
ArchitectDamon Lavelle of Populous and UAB Cloud Architektai[1]
Aerial view

Construction history

The idea to build a stadium dates back to 1980s. The project for the stadium was prepared by architect Algimantas Nasvytis in 1985.[2] The construction started in 1987, but stopped in 1991 due to economic turmoil and lack of funds. In 2006, the government of Lithuania declared the stadium an object of national importance and arranged new contractors.[2] The construction was resumed in February 2008, but was abandoned later in the year due to lack of funds amid the Great Recession.[2] Moreover, in 2009, the Supreme Court of Lithuania ruled that the construction contracts were signed not in accordance to the law and thus annulled them.[2]

In May 2013, the government began to look for ways to complete the project. In March 2014, the government decided to utilize the public–private partnership model and to request funding from the European Union.[2] A call for bids for a brand new project was announced in September 2016, but the results were challenged in courts and the negotiations were delayed due disagreements on funding model.[2][3] Ultimately, the Vilnius City Council approved the €156 million construction contract in December 2019, but it was blocked by the Public Procurement Office on a basis that the government assumed too much risk.[1][4] Vilnius City challenged the decision in courts and the project was again delayed until the case reached the Appeals Court which, in April 2021, made a final ruling that the project may proceed.[5]

Demolition of the abandoned skeletal structures began in January 2022.[6] The construction of the new stadium officially began after the construction permit was formally issued in May 2023.[7] It is expected to complete in July 2025.

Design

The stadium is designed to have 15,000 seats, which would meet the requirements of category 4 UEFA stadium.[8] The stadium is designed by Populous and UAB Cloud Architektai.[1] The overall project is a complex which will include about 30 objects, with the other main structures being: three football fields, 3,000-seat athletics stadium, an indoor complex with areas for gymnastics, handball, volleyball, boxing and six basketball courts, sports museum, community center with a library, 300-seat kindergarten, and 1,600-space parking lot.[9]

The entire complex would occupy an area of 22 hectares (54 acres) with the main stadium taking just about 10% of the area.[8] The national government will operate the sports museum, Vilnius City Municipality will operate the community center and the kindergarten, while Kauno Arena received a concession to operate the stadium and other objects.[1]

See also

References
  1. BNS (18 December 2019). "Vilnius greenlights national stadium construction". LRT. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  2. Samkus, Mindaugas (1 February 2018). "Nacionalinio stadiono statybų istorija. Svarbiausių datų apžvalga" (in Lithuanian). BNS via Made in Vilnius. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  3. "Nacionalinio stadiono finansavimas: be konkurso ir kvietimų bankams, bet su 6 proc. grąža". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 18 December 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  4. Zubrutė, Liucija (21 May 2020). "Nacionalinio stadiono komplekso projektas žlugo" (in Lithuanian). Verslo žinios. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  5. "Vilnius mayor says national stadium could be built in three years". LRT. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  6. Grigaliūnaitė, Violeta (4 January 2022). "Istorinė diena: griaunami nacionalinio stadiono griaučiai – truks 4 mėnesius, kainuos 300 tūkst" (in Lithuanian). 15min.lt. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  7. Dobrovolskas, Ignas (20 July 2023). "Nacionalinio stadiono darbai prasidėjo: pamatus tikimasi įrengti iki metų pabaigos" [The work on the national stadium has started: the foundations are expected to be installed by the end of the year]. LRT (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  8. Savickas, Edgaras (4 December 2019). "Vilnius apsisprendė: nacionalinio stadiono kompleksas kainuos 156 mln. eurų". Delfi.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  9. "Praskleidė uždangą – pamatykite, kaip atrodys nacionalinis stadionas (Foto)". technologijos.lt (in Lithuanian). 12 February 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
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