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have facilities worthy of its standing.
The project subsequently went
through an international architectural
competition, and the final design is based
on a proposal by architect Steven Holl.
Today, the project carries the name VOX.
When I became mayor, one of the very
first decisions I had to make was whether
to continue with the project. It was
already prepared, although with certain
shortcomings, but the construction
contract had not yet been formally signed.
We had to clearly decide whether we were
going ahead with it or not.
For me, however, it was quite
a straightforward decision, because I had
been part of the previous coalition that had
supported the project.
The New Bazaly project appears to have
been more complicated – Why was that?
Bazaly was a different story. For years, there
had been a belief that it was impossible
to build a stadium on that site because
of the subsoil conditions and other technical
issues. But we knew that Ostrava needed
a new football stadium.
The current multi-purpose stadium
in Vítkovice is a quality venue, but it was built
as a compromise. Its capacity is insufficient
both for top-level football and for athletics.
At the same time, Ostrava has the best
athletics facilities in the country, so we want
a stadium that truly reflects that standard.
It also fails to meet the requirements
for top-tier competitions – for example,
UEFA Champions League matches would
require hospitality facilities, appropriate
partner and media infrastructure, and VIP
areas that the current stadium simply does
not provide.
At first, we considered a reconstruction.
But once the projected cost approached
CZK 1.5 billion, it became clear that it no
longer made sense. We decided that
building a completely new stadium would
be the better option.
Then came the question of where to build
it. Staying in Vítkovice was an obvious
possibility because the infrastructure
is already there – sports halls, hotels,
and supporting facilities. But Bazaly
is a unique location, which is why we
reopened the discussion about returning
there.
And that was when we discovered something
crucial: there were no documents proving
that construction at Bazaly was impossible.
No relevant geological assessment
actually existed. So we commissioned new
surveys. They confirmed that the site is not
straightforward – it is located on a slope
and has certain limitations, particularly
regarding parking capacity. And at that
point, we said it openly: if football returns
to Bazaly, there will not be a large car park
there, simply because there is no room
for one.
Honestly, though, that approach makes
perfect sense to me. It is a model commonly
seen in countries such as Spain – people
travel to football matches using public
transport and stay in the city afterwards.
Fans do not have to drive somewhere
outside the city limits just to watch football.
Jan Dohnal is an Ostrava-born Czech polician who has
served as Mayor of Ostrava since 2023. He has been
acve in local polics for many years and previously
held the posion of Deputy Mayor, where he was
primarily responsible for sport and transport. In his
current role, he focuses on the city’s development,
investment support, infrastructure, and improving
the quality of life for its residents.
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