Topic infrastructure – Quo vadis, Austria Salzburg?
Politicians are in intensive exchange with Austria, they will make an offer to Austria if you hear about Salzburg’s local politics in the media, but the people in charge at Austria don’t know anything about it.
Stadium of the city of Salzburg
We remember the new demonstration, in which over 500 supporters of Austria took part and demanded a sustainable stadium solution for Violet. Since then, the politicians responsible for sports in town and country have spoken up, and one could easily get the impression that something is moving.
You could, mind you, because unfortunately neither the state councilor for sports, Stefan Schnöll, nor Bernhard Auinger, the city’s department head for sports, are in favor of a new stadium. If Stefan Schnöll has his way, large areas in the area of sports infrastructure have been implemented, but there are several stadiums and soccer fields in Salzburg, as he pointed out at the end of November Salzburg24 broadcast podcast “How late is life” to hear war. In the same format, Bernhard Auinger said a lot had been achieved, the modernization of sports facilities had been implemented, improving the sports infrastructure was a matter close to his heart, but there would be no new stadium in the city. Of course he passes the ball to Max Aicher, he could build a stadium without apartments in the exhibition center, but he doesn’t want that. The economic component of a multifunctional project, as envisaged by the Max Aicher Group, obviously plays no role in politics.
Alternative Grödig
It has long been known that Provincial Councilor Stefan Schnöll is in favor of Austria dying and that every club in the state of Salzburg with promotion ambitions can play in Grödig, although according to the association’s regulations only two clubs are allowed to play in one stadium. Bernhard Auinger is also likely to have jumped on this train, there will be an offer to Austria regarding Grödig, Austria will then have to decide whether to accept this offer.
However, those responsible in Austria have not yet been involved in the negotiations surrounding such an offer, reveals President Claus Salzmann: “For months we have heard nothing from local politicians regarding the stadium solution, including Grödig. We only found out from the media that there would obviously be an offer to Austria.” Advertising for the realization of the – from Austria’s point of view – sustainable projects of the Max Aicher Group in the exhibition center still has top priority, one will However, we are not closed to another solution, if there is one, our President continued.
Sports facilities in Maxglan
The approval of the existing facility in Maxglan expires at the end of June 2024, the State Environmental Ombudsman (LUA) believes that this will still be managed with tax money in 2015 and at that time the state-of-the-art floodlights could no longer be approved, a conversion would mean costs in the six-figure range. The grandstand in the southern area is also in limbo because of the housing project on the neighboring Stieglgrund.
Regardless of a promotion to professional football, Austria needs training capacities with their offspring, which now number more than 200 children and young people. Maxglan is already bursting at the seams, that a youth team could use the entire training ground for a training session alone is an impossibility.
Due to the quality of the grass, the main field cannot be used for training, and after dark the unauthorized floodlights can also be used. Bernhard Auinger also gets stuck here Salzburg24 when he talks about the prospect of clarifying talks with the LUA and the federal government and about the need for other legal requirements for floodlight operation, especially because there will be festive lighting at the expected airport.
Youth academy Austria Salzburg
Changed framework conditions, which would make it possible to put floodlights into operation and use the main field (as an artificial turf field) in Maxglan all year round, would already be urgently needed, and there would still be a ripple if Austria were to obtain one of the coveted new licenses for a youth academy. “It would be a huge step for our youth efforts if we could make that possible. We are currently examining the possibilities, but in addition to financial feasibility, the infrastructure is the biggest stumbling block here too. If sustainable training operations with two (artificial) turf pitches become possible in Maxglan, that would be a big step in the right direction. But Austria will not be able to do this alone, so we are also dependent on political support. Popular and young sports should be promoted, especially in times like these. We are ready to make our contribution and continue to live up to our social responsibility as the city’s largest football club. Our children and young people belong away from the Playstation and the streets. In order to achieve this, you need an appropriate infrastructure and professional support,” says deputy chairman David Rettenbacher.
We remain curious to see whether Salzburg politics WILL make Austria an offer they cannot refuse, even if it will probably not be a completely new stadium.