By Samindra Kunti
January 19 – Brussels MP Arnaud Verstraete from the Green party has subpoenaed the region of Brussels over Belgium’s proposed stadium for EURO2020. The process is the latest hitch in the construction of the venue.
Verstraete has initiated court proceedings regarding the underground parking lot and has demanded that all contracts and agreements about the ‘Eurostadion’ be disclosed.
The construction of the stadium has faced bureaucratic obstacles and delays in recent months, as protests against the stadium have grown. Detractors claim that the stadium is a venture for private profit, lead by the minister of finance of Brussels Guy Vanhengel and alderman Alain Courtois.
Courtois was one of the driving forces behind the organisation of Euro 2000, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands. He also spearheaded the Low Land’s bid for the 2018 World Cup.
Previously, the city of Brussels gave the projected building site of the stadium in leasehold for 99 years to Ghelamco, the consortium tasked with the construction of the stadium, for a symbolic euro. Ghelamco will be allowed to build office space, hotels and restaurants on the site.
The projected prize tag of €432 million for the ‘Eurostadion’ has repeatedly faced opposition over the levels of public funding. Brussels politicians had repeatedly stated that the new stadium wouldn’t cost the Belgian tax payer a penny, but now it seems the Brussels council, the Brussels region and the Flemish government will invest €80 million in the parking, €123 million in the exploitation of the stadium, €150 million in access roads, €33 million in security, €45 million in lease and €1.3 million in legal fees, according to local newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.
The profits will, however, be privatised. Brussels-based club Anderlecht and the Belgian national team, who are both projected to play at the stadium, will enjoy the ticketing revenue and the projected annual rent income of €20 million will be pocketed by Ghelamco.
Back in September 2014 UEFA chose Brussels as one of the 13 venues to host EURO2020, a pan-European tournament, which former UEFA president Michel Platini coined as a ‘romantic’ one-off to celebrate the 60th birthday of the European Championship. The city will host group matches and a round of 16 match.
With the King Baudouin Stadium outdated, Belgium proposed the ‘Eurostadion’, a state-of-the-art stadium with a capacity of 60,250 seats on the outskirts of Brussels as the venue for EURO2020 with a construction delivery date in 2019. The City of Brussels council proceeded to choose the Ghelamco consortium as the candidate to finance, build and exploit the stadium.
UEFA has repeatedly warned that Brussels must meet the delivery deadline of 2019.
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