The final spurt in the MHP Arena is underway – there are still four days until the new main stand and the modernized Mercedes-Benz Business Center are put back into operation for the first time for the home game against 1. FC Heidenheim.
It’s a special kind of premiere: Easter Sunday (March 31st) not only marks VfB’s first Bundesliga home game against 1. FC Heidenheim, but above all it’s the 1,000th. Game in the long Bundesliga history of the MHP Arena. For the city of Stuttgart, Stadion NeckarPark GmbH & Co. KG, VfB-Stuttgart and all companies involved in the construction, an intensive construction phase is gradually coming to an end. The initial commissioning of the main stand and the Mercedes-Benz Business Center is the first step towards completing the extensive new construction and modernization work that began in June 2022. The official opening of the MHP Arena will follow in 14 days, on April 13th at the home game against Eintracht Frankfurt. Then the completely newly planned and designed level 0 with the team cabins, the media center, the function rooms and the new “Porsche Tunnel Club” will also be available. In the upcoming home game against Heidenheim, the teams will run onto the pitch from the SCHARRena one last time.
Even though there is still some work to be done, there is great anticipation for the upcoming home game. “Stuttgart now has one of the most attractive stadiums in Europe. The new main stand with the business area is a gem,” said Finance and Economics Mayor Thomas Fuhrmann during the symbolic handover of the keys with representatives of the general contractor ARGE 1893 on Wednesday. “We invested a lot, but that was important and right with a view to the 2024 European Championship.” Alexander Wehrle, VfB CEO: “For us as a home club and operator of the MHP Arena, the modernization offers a lot of added value. We have become even more attractive for our partners and sponsors and now have a modern infrastructure, modern technology and the second most business pitches in the league as well as a unique tunnel club. The arena also scores points outside of football, because we can now hold up to nine events in the rooms at the same time.”
Martin Rau and Markus Schmidt, the two managing directors of Stadion NeckarPark GmbH & Co. KG, agree: “We are finally on the home stretch of the stadium renovation. It was a mammoth task for everyone involved, which has been implemented with great effort so far.”
asp architect Eberhard Becker describes the renovation in the MHP Arena as “open heart surgery while the game is still running.” The “OP” seems to have been a success and the stadium will impress the many guests with its new standards and offerings. A lot of things have gotten bigger. The lounge area alone was increased from 2,150 square meters to 3,710 square meters, as did the bar and catering areas.
The total capacity of the MHP Arena is now 60,058 seats. The capacity of the new main stand is 13,808 seats, including 2,545 business seats and 679 box seats, 148 press seats and five wheelchair spaces. As part of the renovation, additional wheelchair spaces have been created in the Cannstatter Curve, so that there are now a total of over 200 wheelchair spaces available throughout the arena.
2024-03-27 16:20:50
#VfB #Stuttgart #Key #handover
