Massive new sporting complex opens in Budapest's District XII

Budapest's second largest sports complex behind the László Papp Sportarena has opened opposite the MOM Park shopping center in District XII. The project was delayed by more than a year and, despite the recent opening, is yet to be complete. The 25-meter indoor swimming pool and mutli-purpose handball, basketball and futsal arena are already in use, but only one outdoor five-a-side field is complete.

Adrian Courage

Only the indoor venues have been completed for the winter season, but work is continuing on plenty more around the back.

When fully completed this summer, the 13,000-square-meter site will include an outdoor swimming pool, beach and wellness facilities, as well as tennis and beach volleyball courts, a dance school and a bar and restaurant. A day swimming ticket currently costs Ft 2,000 (€8) for adults and Ft 1,200 for children, students and those aged over 62, although prices are likely to change once the outdoor areas are complete.

Although the parts of the facility currently complete appears to be geared toward spectator sport, the complex is also open to the public and is being marketed as such. Hire of the indoor arena, which is fitted with bleachers on either side to create a state-of-art-sports venue, costs Ft 18,000 (€67), while the same fee is charged for the single outdoor soccer field, plus a Ft 2,400 surcharge for floodlighting. Similar facilities are available at the nearby sports university and Városmajor school for around Ft 10,000.

Part of the reason for the delay in construction is that the project was financed exclusively by the District XII government, something Fidesz mayor Zoltán Pokorni has been keen to stress. The Ft 4 billion investment was funded in part directly from local government coffers and through the issue of Ft 2 billion in bonds. The complex will be operated privately.

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