The presidency of the Hungarian Rugby Union has accepted the plans regarding Budapest’s first rugby stadium that is to be built in Kincsem Park.
Index reports that a rugby stadium will be built in Kincsem Park. The preparations are already underway; the Hungarian Rugby Union has started the tendering process.
Antal Kiss, the chairman of the Hungarian Rugby Union, highlighted that the Hungarian government had provided the union with 300 million forints at the end of 2016 that could be spent on infrastructure projects.
The union is focusing on development all throughout Hungary, and building a rugby field in Budapest is of great importance.
To this project, 200 million forints are devoted. The union can spend this sum on developing locker rooms and community spaces.
The rest, 100 million forints, will be available for rugby development in cities and towns like Esztergom, Kápolnásnyék-Pettend, Kecskemét, Sopron, Százhalombatta, Székesfehérvár, Vác, with December 30th as the deadline.
The collaboration with Kincsem Park means that not only a rugby stadium (following the example of the Irish Galway, the home of the Connacht team) but a greyhound stadium will be built as well, an already existing building will be renovated, and a professional grass strip will be developed.
Since the preparation works for the track building and the reconstruction are already done, the union can start the tendering process.
If things go according to plans, the rugby matches within the Maccabi Games – organised by the Hungarian football club MTK this summer – will take place at Kincsem Park.
However, Kincsem Park will be housing the 2019 World Modern Pentathlon Championships too, taking place between the 2nd and 8th of September 2019. Previously, there were talks about having Margaret Island as the venue between the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) and the Hungarian organisers. However, since the laser run world championship will be part of the pentathlon championship, a much bigger venue was needed.
The organisers will set up a pentathlon arena at Kincsem Park with a mobile swimming pool and an outdoor track for the fencing bonus round.
Thus, as Boon.hu writes, spectators can enjoy the numbers of the pentathlon world championship and the 4th laser run world championship from almost one place.
The chairman of UIPM, Klaus Schormann, revealed that the Hungarian pentathlon is an essential part of this sport, and both the UIPM and the participants are glad that Budapest will be hosting the Olympic qualification world championship. Schormann is positive that the championship will be successful since the number of ex-pentathlonists taking part in organising competitions and providing guidance is the highest in Hungary.
featured image: Wikimedia Commons – Civertan
Sounds like it’s going to be a nice stadium. I wonder what the locals think about having a rugby stadium instead of a regular park in their area. That space could be turned into a really nice community park or festival area.