Sports and cultural clubs: Energy costs are exploding
energy
At many sports clubs and cultural event organizers, electricity prices will increase fivefold in the coming year. Because many affected clubs cannot cope with the inflation from their budget, the city of Salzburg now wants to make available the remaining coronavirus reserves.
As major customers, clubs and event organizers have previously obtained particularly favorable electricity price conditions, but that is now the end of it, according to the energy supplier Salzburg AG. The Mitte sports center in Salzburg-Nonntal will have to budget for 60,000 euros more in energy costs in the coming year. According to current information from Salzburg AG, the energy costs for the Arge cultural center opposite will increase by 80,000 euros.
Auinger wants to use CoV reserves for inflation
The clubs cannot raise such sums alone, they have already turned to politics. Deputy Mayor Bernhard Auinger (SPÖ), who is responsible for sports and culture, wants to make budgetary provisions for cost-of-living compensation in the clubs: “We should create a corresponding reserve in the budget in 2023. It is planned that we will transfer the coronavirus reserves that were not used to the budget and deposit them as a cost-of-living reserve.” According to Auinger, the reserves amount to 800,000 euros.
Is 800,000 euros enough for 500 clubs?
However, in view of the massive increase in energy costs of more than 500 percent, it is unlikely that the currently expected 800,000 euros will be enough for the more than 100 sports clubs and around 400 cultural institutions and initiatives in the city of Salzburg.