A contractor has been selected to expand and and modernize the municipal stadium in the German city of Münster in a project worth €88 million.
Antenne Münster said the Hellmich Group was awarded the contract to renovate the Preußenstadion, which is home to second division football team SC Preußen Münster.
The 15,000 capacity stadium on Hammer Straße, which opened in 1926, has not met current requirements for some time.
City officials said the renovation project, which will increase capacity to 19,000, is necessary to provide SC Preußen Münster with a venue for high-class football in the future and to meet the requirements of the German Football League 2nd Bundesliga.
SC Preußen Münster is a German sports club based in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which is mostly recognized for its football section.
Mayor Markus Lewe said, “After years of intensive preparation and planning, we have now reached the ‘point of no return’. A good 100 years after the opening of the stadium on Hammer Strasse, the SCP is getting a completely renovated, modern home that, as in the past, will see countless more football matches and emotional moments.”
By redesigning the north, west and east stands, the venue will be converted into a pure football stadium in several construction phases. In addition to additional boxes and business areas, the venue will also house a daycare center in the future.
As a plus-energy stadium, the project will serve as a role model in energy management in stadium construction and generate more electrical energy than it consumes.
Large photovoltaic systems will be installed on the roofs of some of the stands, while the remaining roof areas are to be given green roofs. The stadium is also planned as a barrier-free and inclusive building.
The Münster venue is one of the few stadiums in Germany to implement the requirement of one percent of all spectator seats being wheelchair accessible.
The Hellmich Group has many years of experience in sports facility construction and was involved in the building project of the Schalke Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
Hellmich has also built the stadiums of MSV Duisburg, FC Ingolstadt 04, Legia Warsaw and the Aachen Tivoli. The group is currently building the Lohrheide Stadium athletics and football stadium in Bochum-Wattenscheid.
Managing Partner Walter Hellmich said, “Münster is one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Germany. The traditional Preußen Münster club will receive a strong boost on the way to further success through the construction of the new stadium. The concept of the stadium is ground-breaking.”
SCP Managing Director Dr. Markus Sass said, “The design is as spectacular as it is highly functional. The access to the east stand from below pitch level without a vomitory is a special highlight for me and a real atmospheric, unique selling point in the German stadium landscape. The wishes of our fans have been taken into account to a large degree here. It will be acoustically and visually unique.”
The expansion of the municipal stadium is being implemented by the municipal utility company’s subsidiary Bädermanagement GmbH.
Managing Director Frank Gäfgen said, “We are delighted that we are able to create a new home for the Prussians. The project will start with the construction of the new west stand in the second quarter of next year.”
Construction of the new west stand is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. This will be followed by the completion of the east stand by the end of 2026 and the north stand by the end of 2027.
The daycare center and SCP office are scheduled to move into the southeast corner by summer 2027. Individual additional work on the south stand and its outdoor facilities will be finalized by February 2028.
As well as SC Preußen Münster, the district will also benefit from the new stadium.
City director Thomas Paal said, “In addition to the SCP, Berg Fidel is also home to the volleyball teams of USC Münster, the basketball players of the Uni Baskets and other clubs. With the new stadium and the expansion of the infrastructure, we are further strengthening this location.
“The district stands for high-class sport, but at the same time also offers amateurs and schools the opportunity to get children and young people, in particular, excited about sport.”
Ole Kittner, SC Preußen Münster’s Sports Director, emphasised: “The decision to rebuild comes with a great deal of trust from politicians and the administration. We will handle this very responsibly.
“Our strategic goal is to build the club in a long-term, sustainable and resilient way and to link it closely with the values of the city. With this infrastructure and its macroeconomic environment, Preußen Münster will establish itself in professional football.”
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