The ZSC Lions take over their new “lion cage” in Zurich – TOP ONLINE
TELE TOP got a first glimpse of the new Swiss Life Arena:
The ice surface in the hall is still completely unchanged: not a single skate has ridden over this surface so far. The Lions are not scheduled to start here for the first time until next week. A first test game with spectators is to take place on October 8th, when the GCK Lions meet EHC Basel (Swiss League). On October 14th, the GCK Lions will play a second friendly against EV Zug (U20 elite).
The tickets for these first games in the “lion’s cage” are free because those responsible want to test the processes with a large audience on these two evenings. It’s also possible that not everything is working smoothly. “We still have problems with the technology,” ZSC boss Peter Zahner admitted to the media on Sunday. That’s why it’s good if you still have time to adjust it. It’s “serious” on October 18, when the ZSC Lions have their opening game.
Seats closer to the field
The ice has been produced for four weeks by a reliable refrigeration system in the basement. The waste heat from the cooling production is reused in the stadium, for example for hot water and heating in the 14 boxes that are already rented out.
Construction work on the new venue began in March 2019. It was particularly important that the seats start close to the playing field and the tiers rise steeply. The ZSC boss therefore promises that there will be no more bad places. As a spectator, you are much closer to what is happening on the ice than in the indoor stadium.
Summer and winter 8 degrees
For the Lions, their new home will also offer better training opportunities. There is a training field directly under construction, which offers ice all year round. The temperature in the hall is 8 degrees in both summer and winter.
There is also a large weight room with sprint tracks, a sauna and a cold bath for regeneration. In addition to ice hockey games, the stadium will also be used for other events. Handball games or general assemblies are conceivable.
The new hall is striking from the outside: the walls of the 170 meter long and 110 meter wide hall are slightly wavy. The many small, round windows represent ice hockey pucks.
Club has to pay back 65 million to the city
In September 2016, voters in the city of Zurich gave the green light for the construction of the “Theatre of Dreams”, as the project was initially called. At that time, a loan to the ZSC Lions in the amount of CHF 120 million was voted on. The club has to pay back this money within 65 years.
The city will also support the club with an annual operating contribution of CHF 2 million. However, not everyone was happy about the stadium project: 122 family gardens had to be set aside for the stadium. However, the hobby gardeners demand a replacement location.