“Isn’t it cheaper to buy back the Skonto stadium?” People are deeply disturbed by the decision to build a new football stadium in Lucavsala

“Yesterday @Rigasdome coalition decided on Lucavsala as the home of the football stadium. To ensure access to the stadium will be built infra [infrastruktūra] from Bauskas iela to Mūkusalas iela,” Andrejs writes excitedly on social network “X” today.

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“I am sure that for such infra costs, RD could buy the land in an accessible place and build a stadium, not to mention that there will be a goat’s bank gone (it is a flooded area), the recreation area of ​​Lucavsala will also be degraded by the construction of the street. I think it’s more than clear that Riga needs a football stadium, but such a hasty action before @kajbumba
elections, in a recreation area popular with Riga residents with huge construction costs due to flooding risks, there is madness,” Andrejs believes.

Users of social network “X” rush to comment on Andrej’s post.

“Isn’t it cheaper to buy Skonto Stadium, clean it up and continue playing in it? The national team does not have such a level at the moment, nor the potential to put a lot of money into concrete again. Better in children’s clubs. We need to stop this beauty concreting, we need to start investing in people,” writes one man.

Armands asks: “I really do not understand why such a stadium cannot be built somewhere around the borders of Riga. In Munich, the Allianz Arena is roughly on the ring road. In Lyon, the new stadium was also built outside by the highway. Only we have a desire to push everything into the center…”

Igor adds: “9.3 to 24.1 million EUR comes together. To be fair, it seems to me that this commitment has not yet been made, but only a plot of land has been given to the LFF for research. In total, about 6 plots of land were evaluated, but it was not possible for the deputies to familiarize themselves with the evaluations in time. We asked to provide them.

“So these are the calculations for the football stadium lobby. I will not be surprised that its cost will be 3x. We can see how RD succeeds with the construction of swampy areas in Skanstea,” adds Andrejs, the author of the post.

The Riga City Council also gets involved in the comments, replying to Andrej: “Hello! According to the planning specialists, there are no small gardens on this plot of land, the territory is not flooded, and currently this is not a particularly popular recreation spot for residents of Riga. In addition, the construction of high-rise residential buildings will soon begin next to this plot of land. In order to ensure the traffic infrastructure, it is planned to build several more pedestrian and bicycle bridges both to Lucavsala and between Lucavsala and Zaķusalu, as well as the construction of a connection with the South Bridge has been foreseen in the planning documents for a long time.”

To this, Andrejs refuses, so that the Riga city council does not “distort” what he said: “Please do not distort what I wrote. Regarding the flooded areas, I mention Kazas sekli, where the traffic infrastructure is planned to be built, it can be clearly seen on the map of RDPAD Guardrails and restrictions, where there are small gardens, where it is clear that after such infra the construction of the Goat’s Bank will actually no longer exist. On the other hand, Lucavsala beach will be degraded, where the construction of traffic infrastructure is also planned, eventually making Lucavsala a traffic hub. The stadium cannot be looked at separately from the traffic infrastructure.”

Armands also comments: “Well, normality is needed there infra also for new projects, offices, etc. The “new” Riga with high-rise buildings and offices should be there. And a convenient connection to the airport (which is now further away with new traffic lights near Spitz).”

Someone else continues the discussion: “The LFF Vice President in the coalition will be happy. Riga will have to tighten its belts in order to have money for overpasses, parking spaces and highway widths, to build and maintain all of this, because we can’t afford it otherwise. Well, nothing, because of football and gentlemen’s entertainment, you can continue to endure.”

“Why does Riga need a football stadium?” asks Andrei. Artūrs adds: “A stadium would also fit in somewhere near “Arena Rīga”. Parking spaces are already there, as well as access roads.”

Elgar states: “Kaitina RD – it was impossible to find a more useless place with more expensive infrastructure construction? If only to demolish Old Riga and build a stadium. As a resident of Riga, I want at least the sand to be collected and the street washed, near the houses, not to mention the potholes. Money as much as ever?”

“Lucavsala does not need new roads and bridges at all. This money could have been allocated for faster completion of the 4th round of the South Bridge,” comments another. “I’m not an urban planner, but wouldn’t Rumbula or Spilve meadows be smarter? Large areas without use,” a woman also gets involved.

“You can’t build in Zaķusala? Next to the tower,” Mārtiņš asks. “Skanste Street was not a better option? Although then again Marta and Maija would shout as loud as they could,” someone else pointed out.

As already announced, the Riga City Council will decide on the allocation of more than 10 hectares of land for the construction of the national football stadium in Lucavsala, LETA reported.

On Tuesday, April 2, the City Property Committee of the Riga City Council supported the transfer of land for free use to the Latvian Football Federation. The land will be put into use until the time when the real estate is needed by the municipality to ensure its functions, but not longer than five years.

Within five years, the LFF must develop the documentation for the construction of the stadium and the municipality will have to decide on the future action with this land, for example expropriating it in favor of the federation.

As MP Kaspars Spunde (NA/LRA) said at the committee meeting, when the stadium is built and a new street connection is built through Kaza sekli, some small gardens will suffer and will have to be eliminated. Therefore, the municipality will have to offer residents another area where they can cultivate gardens.

Several MPs expressed doubts whether Lucavsala is the most suitable place for the construction of such a stadium. In their opinion, the stadium, similar to the hockey arena in the Skanstes neighborhood, should be built in one of the outskirts of Riga, thus giving the opportunity for this neighborhood to develop. On the other hand, Lucavsala’s development opportunities are said to be limited because it is an island.

“Progresīvo” MPs did not support the progress of the draft decision to the Riga City Council meeting – Alija Turlaja voted against, while Mārtiņš Kossovičs and Igors Kļaviņš abstained from the vote.

According to the information available in the archive of the LETA agency, it was during the time of “Progressive” mayor Mārtiņš Stakis that the protocol of intent was signed for the construction of a national-scale stadium.

As the mayor, Staķis informed at the press conference that a national football stadium in Riga could be built in Lucavsala or Uzvaras Park. He revealed that 10 different options were initially considered, but then three remained. Two of the possible stadium locations were considered in Lucavsala, and one in Uzvaras Park.

At the time, Staķis admitted that Lucavsala seems to be the most acceptable option for him, but this is only his opinion and the members of the Riga City Council will have to decide on where to build such a stadium.

As Kossovics emphasized at the committee meeting today, he hopes that he will be able to vote for the construction of the stadium in Lucavsala at the council meeting.

He stated that he is in favor of implementing such a project in Riga, but it is necessary to respect the interests of all parties involved so that the stadium is built in the best place.

At the committee meeting, Kossovic did not hear answers to many questions, including about investors. In his opinion, a qualitative discussion is needed to consider other alternative places for the construction of the stadium.

The final decision on the allocation of land for free use by LFF will have to be made by the Riga City Council.

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