Is it coming, or is it not? This question has long preoccupied not only politicians, but increasingly also representatives of culture, sports, entertainment and business in Frankfurt. The talk is of the Mulifunktionsarena, which is to be built on the Kaiserlei site. More and more personalities are openly saying "yes" to the multifunctional arena. City councillor Dr. Stephan F. Deusinger, for example, is convinced: "Frankfurt needs a multifunctional arena because we are a sports city and want to have many nice sports events take place here." Like Deusigner, others are following the "Pro Multifunction Arena Frankfurt" initiative. On the website www.arena-frankfurt.de numerous supporters have already given their "Yes to the multifunctional arena Frankfurt" in videos.
It is not only supporters of the first hour. More and more personalities are following the initiative "Pro Multifunktionsarena Frankfurt". TV presenter and cabaret artist Hugo Egon Balder is one of them. His appeal to politicians is: "Get down to business, don't talk so much, do it." Klaus Zemke, Managing Director of Ticketmaster Germany, also makes it clear: "As one of the most central destinations, Frankfurt needs a modern house for international shows and large formats." Support also comes from the Fraport Skyliners, who together with the Frankfurt Lions are in favour of a new hall. Felix Hecker, shooting guard Fraport Skyliners, says: "I'm in favor of a multifunctional hall so that the sport of basketball is better represented in Frankfurt."
Business representatives also see great advantages for Frankfurt as a location in the construction of a multifunctional arena. Head of economic development Oliver Schwebel, MyZeil-Center manager Marcus Schwartz, the managing directors of the Frankfurt RhineMain business initiative Annegret Reinhardt-Lehmann and Jörg Schaub, restaurateur James Ardinast of the Initiative Gastronomie Frankfurt e. V., Nico Ubenauf, CEO of international event and media technology provider Satis&Fy are among those who are clearly in favour of the construction. "It is an economic factor and brings money into the city," Oliver Schwebel notes. "Please don't delay the issue any longer, but finally get a move on," expresses Annegret Reinhardt-Lehmann, and Jörg Schaub emphasizes: "A multifunctional arena belongs to a city like Frankfurt."
For the supporters, it is clear: the economic viability and the expected value added by the multifunctional arena have been proven in well-founded studies. Both the Frankfurt-based architects Albert Speer & Partner and the Cologne-based consultancy Sport und Markt AG (today: Nielsen Sports) assume a long-term regional added value of 50 million euros per year. In addition, there would be around 13.7 million euros in tax revenue per year. Calculated over a 30-year term of the contracts, this amounts to 1.5 billion euros in regional added value and around 400 million euros in tax revenue. The calculations on which this estimate is based are from 2011, but the figures should still correspond to a realistic sum due to the general and, especially in conurbations such as Frankfurt, still increased rate of inflation, especially in the leisure and tourism sector. The calculation approach is based in particular on direct and indirect economic effects through ticketing, hospitality, catering, sponsoring and business events, i.e. revenues generated directly by the arena.
According to the Nielsen study, more than 300 new jobs would also be created, which would have a positive impact on Frankfurt and the region through the corresponding economic power. Another factor for the positive impact of a multi-functional arena is spending by event visitors on transport, accommodation, catering and additional purchases. Therefore, for restaurateur James Ardinast, it is clear: "Frankfurt needs the multifunctional arena because it would bring even more visitors to the city and thus generate even higher occupancy rates in the restaurant and hotel industry."
Current data from the Commerzbank Arena's operating company support this study: per event visitor, the city currently benefits from a total value added, excluding tickets, of 124 euros. With at least one million visitors expected, this would correspond to an added value of 124 million euros - per year. 91 percent of visitors come from outside the city, and around a quarter of visitors to major events in the Commerzbank Arena stay overnight in Frankfurt. According to surveys, 78 percent of visitors who have attended events in the Commerzbank Arena several times recommend the city of Frankfurt to others - thus providing word-of-mouth advertising for the city's marketing.
In addition, the image of the city as a metropolis could be strengthened by the fact that such an arena would offer the possibility of bringing indoor sporting events, world and European championships as well as concerts at European and world level to Frankfurt. The arena would not only provide a modern venue for the Fraport Skyliners and the Frankfurt Lions, but would also be an ideal venue for major shows and concerts. It is not just a sports arena, but a multifunctional arena.
Read more at: www.arena-frankfurt.de
