AFAS Stadium (Mechelen)

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AFAS stadium
The stadium in May 2015
The stadium in May 2015
Earlier names

Achter de Kazerne (until 2003)
Scarlet
Stadium (2003–2006) Veoliastadion (2006–2009)
Argos Stadium Achter de Kazerne (2009–2015)

Data
place Kleine Nieuwedijk 53 2800 Mechelen , Belgium
BelgiumBelgium
Coordinates 51 ° 2 '14 "  N , 4 ° 29' 11"  E Coordinates: 51 ° 2 '14 "  N , 4 ° 29' 11"  E
owner City of Mechelen
opening 1911
Renovations since 2015
surface Natural grass
costs 9.1 million euros (2015-2016)
capacity 18,477 places
Societies)
Events

The AFAS stadium is a football stadium in the Belgian city ​​of Mechelen . It is the home ground of the KV Mechelen football club and has a capacity of 18,477 spectators.

history

The stadium, built in 1911, was called Achter de Kazerne , because there used to be a barracks behind the stadium , where the building of the Belgian telecommunications company Telenet Group now stands. From 2003 to 2006, the stadium was also Scarlet stadium named because Scarlet was the main sponsor of the KV Mechelen. Until 2009 it was called the Veoliastadion . Then the Dutch Argos Oil acquired the naming rights . On May 11, 2015 it was announced that the stadium will be named AFAS-Stadion after the company AFAS Software by 2020 .

renovation

At the beginning of 2013, KV Mechelen published plans for a stadium renovation on its website. Accordingly, the demolition of the back gate in the west and the back straight in the north is planned. After the renovation, the two individual tiers are to be connected by a grandstand corner. The space available is to be increased to 18,500. A new VIP area is planned in the back gate . Seats will be installed on the upper tiers of the new buildings and the lower tiers are intended for standing room. As a later expansion measure, the main stand is to receive a new functional building. In February 2014, the plans for the renovation from May of that year were stopped because a necessary exemption from the environmental impact assessment (EIA) was not issued. This delayed the schedule.

The final hurdle for the stadium renovation was the approval of the mayor and the city council. In April 2015, approval for the construction project was given in two phases, so that work could begin in May 2015. The costs are shared among private investors, the Flemish government and fan bonds. KV Mechelen itself only bears ten percent of the costs. The renovation should cost around nine million euros . The fan bonds have a minimum price of 1,000 euros with a term of seven years and offer a gross interest rate of 4.25 percent.

On May 2, 2015, KV played the last home game in the old stadium before construction work began. Mechelen defeated SV Zulte Waregem 3-0. After only three months after the start of construction of phase 1, the new north stand could be used on August 8, 2015 against Royal Mouscron-Péruwelz (3: 1). The spectator rank was not yet finished. It was missing u. a. the roofing and the interior work with toilets and kiosks. After the new main grandstand (2,120 seats and 5,000 standing places with fan shop, canteen and a fitness studio) was inaugurated in the north in the summer of 2015, the expansion of the stadium has continued since January 2016 with phase 2. The new west grandstand with standing and seating as well as boxes, a daycare center and office space was completed in August 2016. The construction work cost a total of 9.1 million euros.

Regardless of the relegation of KV Mechelen from the Pro League , the renovation of the stadium continues with phase 3. On the day after the last home game on March 11, 2018 against Waasland-Beveren (2-0), construction workers dismantled all usable parts such as floodlight masts, seats, press and catering equipment on the old main stand within five days , because the demolition should be done soon. A five-storey grandstand will be built on the spot, which will be the same height as the previously erected tiers. The new building will have 2,000 regular seats. The plans also envisage two rows of boxes , called skyboxes , and more than 800 business seats on the new main grandstand. The stadium capacity will not increase with the new grandstand, but income will be increased by the box area.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. stadionachterdekazerne.be: Chalet ( Memento of the original from May 20, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Dutch) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / stadionachterdekazerne.be
  2. stadiumdb.com: stadium capacity (English)
  3. Malinwa geeft stadium update: België krijgt AFAS Stadium ( Memento from November 5, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (Dutch)
  4. stadionwelt.de: KV Mechelen plans stadium expansion Article from January 24, 2013
  5. stadionwelt.de: Government stops renovation plans Article from February 21, 2014
  6. stadionwelt.de: Mayor approves stadium renovations Article of April 26, 2015
  7. stadionwelt.de: Fans should help with the stadium expansion Article from May 8, 2015
  8. kvmechelen.be: Renovatie stadion: Herbeleef #afscheidHIJ  ( page no longer available , search in web archivesInfo: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.kvmechelen.be  
  9. weltfussball.de: Match report KV Mechelen against SV Zulte Waregem
  10. stadionwelt.de: KV Mechelen opens north stand Article from August 10, 2015
  11. willemen.be: construction project (Dutch)
  12. stadionwelt.de: West stand in AFAS stadium completed Article from August 14, 2016
  13. stadionwelt.de: Belgian club invests in the hospitality sector Article from March 19, 2018
  14. stadiumdb.com: Belgium: Preparations for new stand in Mechelen Article from March 18, 2018 (English)