Investment contribution paves the way for national association centre
The city of Thun wants to contribute CHF 4 million to the Swiss Football Association's (SFV) planned football campus in Thun South. The city council will decide on the non-repayable investment contribution at a meeting on 16 January.
The city of Thun is planning to participate in the realisation of the Swiss Football Home, which is to be built as an SFV football campus in Thun South. According to a statementfrom the city, the investment contribution of CHF 4 million is part of a comprehensive financing concept that includes SFV’sown financing as well as funds from the federal government, the canton of Bern and third-party financing. The CHF 4 million non-repayable grant is to be used for building costs, outdoor facilities and project planning. The city council will decide on the loan at its meeting on 16 January. This financial contribution by the city is linked to various conditions, including ensuring the overall financing of the Swiss Football Home and determining the cantonal contributions.
The Swiss Football Home will serve as the new headquarters of the Swiss Football Association and will comprise buildings and several football pitches. Around 150 employees will work on the campus, which is planned as part of the Thun South sports and leisure cluster. According to the press release, the Swiss Football Home will have a long-term positive impact on the city of Thun’s tax revenue and on economic development in the region. In particular, the creation of 150 jobs and the gathering of the national teams will be a unique opportunity for the location.
Other private sports projects have already been initiated in the Thun South cluster, such as an indoor and outdoor racket sports centre, a climbing and bouldering facility and a ball sports hall. The wide range of sports facilities on the site, which is in the immediate vicinity of FC Thun’s Stockhorn Arena, will bring many synergies, explains the city. “The long-term economic benefits for the city of Thun from the establishment of the Swiss Football Home will exceed the one-off investment contribution many times over,” said Mayor Raphael Lanz.