Purchase a coat and head towards the stadium
In Switzerland, the integration of shopping centers in football stadiums has become a common practice, reflecting a broader urban development approach where sporting venues are multifunctional spaces that combine leisure, retail, and entertainment amenities. This model maximizes the use of space and creates a year-round destination that attracts visitors beyond just match days, enhancing revenue streams and community engagement.
Unlike many German stadiums, Swiss stadiums prioritize financial self-sustainability, with shopping centers and other commercial ventures often being the main focus. In contrast, German football stadiums traditionally do not incorporate large shopping centers within their stadium complexes.
The Arena in St. Gallen, for instance, boasts a view of the neighboring building of the world's largest furniture retailer, reflecting the commercial focus of Swiss football stadiums. Similarly, the Joggeli stadium in Basel houses an attached shopping center, elderly residence, and office spaces.
This approach, known as "envelope use," makes the complex profitable by generating revenue from various sources, including shopping, rentals, and other commercial activities. This strategy is exemplified in the current design for the new football arena in Zurich, which includes two adjacent 137-meter-high high-rise buildings with rental apartments to finance the stadium.
However, the construction start for the new football arena in Zurich has been consistently delayed, despite the potential benefits of this integrated approach. This contrasts with the Arena in St. Gallen, where it's common for people to shop before attending a football match, indicating the success of this commercial focus.
In 1989, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, former FC Bayern Munich player and current chairman, proposed an integrated shopping center in a new FC Bayern temple, with the idea of attracting non-football fans. Despite this proposal, FC Bayern hasn't implemented this integrated shopping center concept yet, which might leave German city treasurers speechless in light of the financial success of similar ventures in Switzerland.
Building football stadiums in Switzerland can be a complex process, with multiple referendums and construction delays common. Nevertheless, the integration of shopping centers in Swiss football stadiums continues to be a popular and effective strategy for maximizing revenue and creating multifunctional urban spaces.
[1] For more information on Swiss urban planning efforts and the integration of multifunctional venues, refer to the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich.
- In Switzerland, the strategy of integrating shopping centers within football stadiums, often prioritizing financial self-sustainability, is a common urban development approach.
- The Arena in St. Gallen, with its adjacent furniture retailer, exemplifies the commercial focus of Swiss football stadiums, where cinema, retail, elderly residences, and office spaces are often included in the stadium complex.
- In contrast, German football stadiums traditionally do not incorporate large shopping centers, a fact that may leave city treasurers questioning the potential financial success of integrated shopping centers, as witnessed by the multifunctional urban spaces in Switzerland.
