YEKATERINBURG: The massive scaffolding seating structures soaring out of each end of Yekaterinburg Arena were built to show Russia was serious about saving money. At the end of the World Cup, the temporary stands symbolize the problems with the tournament’s legacy.
The stands were mocked on social media as fans sitting in those sections were exposed to the elements and looked as if they were watching from a different stadium entirely. No matter. It was fiscally responsible: The seating could be dismantled after the World Cup to save on stadium maintenance, its components donated to smaller local venues.
But now regional officials say they don’t yet have a plan to remove the stands, or the funds to do it, and are asking Moscow to help. The stadium used to host soccer and other sports like track and field, but after World Cup renovations it’s only suitable for soccer. It costs up to 367 million rubles ($5.9 million) a year to maintain. “Just by football you cannot make money at this stadium.
It will never pay off by football matches only,” Deputy Governor Sergei Shvindt told The Associated Press. He hopes concerts and shows will eventually cover, or at least reduce, the shortfall. After reaching the quarterfinals, Russia may have newfound confidence on the soccer field. Its cities, though, could end up burdened with costly arenas. The Yekaterinburg Arena cost 12.7 billion rubles to renovate for the World Cup, and the head of the Ural Yekaterinburg football club, which is due to play there after the World Cup, has told local media it will cost 1 billion rubles to remove the extra stands. (AP)
