New prospects for Łazienkowska

According to previous reports, three companies were planning to take part in this tender. Listed among those interested in the project were: Portuguese concern Amorim Immobiliaria; ITI Holding SA with the Legia Warsaw football club and Hochtief Construction AG; and German companies HMB Stadien und Sportstattenbau GmbH with Wayss und Freytag Schlusselfertingbau AG and Krupp Sthalbau Hannover GmbH. Surprisingly, only the German consortium finally made an offer.

ITI Group is part owner of the Legia Warsaw football club, which plays its games at ul. Łazienkowska, and it has opted not to participate in the tender. Paweł Kosmala, the vice-president of the ITI Group, says one condition in the tender put his firm out of the running.

"The reason [ITI Group did not take part] was a condition that the private investor has to cover 50 percent of the project's cost," he told Gazeta Wyborcza. "Every investor has to try to regain the investment, and a situation where Legia would be paying for infrastructure instead of development [of the team] is just ridiculous."

The project will cost zł.462 million plus VAT, while the city of Warsaw will cover just zł.178 million. The rest must be provided by the investor, who in return will gain the rights to manage the stadium for the first 16 years and collect profits from sports and entertainment events.

If the German consortium's offer meets procedural requirements, a final agreement with the Warsaw authorities should be signed in October and the developer will have 36 months to complete the project. The new stadium is designed to be 26 meters high, will be equipped with a retractable glass roof and up to 35,000 seats.