? Next Showcase: 24 April 2025
Featuring Helmond Sport (NL) and their brand-new 3,600-capacity stadium.
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Key Takeaways – Episode 1:
1. Project Overview & Strategic Importance
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First dedicated national hockey stadium in Belgium, located in Wavre, 20 minutes from Brussels.
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Repurposing of the former football stadium into a 4,000-seat hockey-specific venue.
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Responds to the growing popularity of field hockey in Belgium, driven by international success of the Red Lions and Red Panthers.
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Aims to enhance the federation’s image and position Belgium as a global hockey leader capable of hosting major tournaments.
2. Timeline & Challenges
- Project concept dates back over 10 years, included in strategic planning since 2018.
- Faced significant challenges, including:
- Flooding (2021) impacting the construction site.
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War in Ukraine driving construction cost increases.
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Technical challenges (e.g., dugouts obstructing views, aging roof requiring replacement).
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Change in FIH pitch requirements from a dry field back to irrigated field, requiring unplanned investments.
3. Budget & Funding
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Total project budget: €9.4 million, later increased by 15% due to unforeseen costs.
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Funding from multiple public and private stakeholders:
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Walloon Region: €4M
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Hockey Belgium: €2M
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City of Wavre: €1.9M
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Province Brabant Wallon: €1M
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National Lottery: €500K
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Long-term lease with Lara Hockey Club for daily usage and rent revenues.
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4. Stadium Features & Usage
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Fixed seating: ~4,000 (expandable to 10,000 for the 2026 FIH World Cup).
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Facilities include:
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8 locker rooms, doping control, medical rooms.
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Fitness area, multifunctional rooms, and hospitality spaces.
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No private boxes, but modular VIP areas for flexibility during the 2026 FIH World Cup.
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Home venue for:
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National teams (Red Lions, Red Panthers).
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Youth development (Be Gold center of exellence).
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Lara Hockey Club and regional events.
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5. Sustainability Focus
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Target to become energy self-sufficient:
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Installation of 360 photovoltaic panels (600 m²) with battery storage.
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Expected to save 21 tons of CO₂/year.
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Rainwater recovery system for field irrigation.
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Exploration of energy trading or charging infrastructure for e-mobility.
6. Operations & Legal Structure
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Stadium remains owned by City of Wavre.
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Operations via Hockey Belgium Company, a private entity for commercial exploitation.
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Multi-use strategy including external events, rentals, and federation activities.
7. FIH World Cup 2026 – Joint Hosting
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Co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
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Venue to be expanded with temporary stands and public village.
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Logistics focus on mobility:
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No on-site parking; park-and-ride with buses from Wavre and Louvain-la-Neuve.
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Partnership with Golazo for event operations.
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8. Audience Q&A Highlights
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Access control: No fixed gates, continued use of stewards and temporary access control.
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F&B: Combination of fixed VIP areas and temporary public bars.
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Technology: Plans to enhance payment systems (QR codes, reusable cups), still under development.
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Inspiration: Site visits to Amstelveen, Mönchengladbach, London (hockey stadiums), and OH Leuven (small football stadium) informed design and operational planning.
9. Concluding Remarks
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Stadium completion expected end of 2025, in time for test events ahead of World Cup 2026.
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Mobility and sustainable energy management seen as key operational challenges and priorities.
- First in a monthly ESSMA Stadium Showcase series; next edition scheduled for 24 April 2025 featuring Helmond Sport (NL)
