On March 19, 2015, the Board of the City of Brussels selected the preferred candidate for the construction of the stadium on parking lot C. The BAM-Ghelamco consortium, which includes Interbuild, was chosen among three candidates to finance, build and operate the new soccer stadium on the Heysel.
This choice was made after analyzing the award criteria included in the market consultation launched on March 31, 2014 by the City Council of the City of Brussels. These criteria are:
- The feasibility of implementing the stadium
- the feasibility and quality of operating the stadium
- the modalities of the ground lease
- the financial and contractual guarantees
- architectural quality and the embedding of the project in the landscape.
For the latter criterion, the College endorses the choice of the advisory committee composed of representatives of the City of Brussels, the Brussels Capital Region, the municipality of Grimbergen, the resident committees of the City of Brussels and the municipality of Grimbergen, and independent architects and experts.
Negotiations
At this stage of the procedure, none of the three candidates has been definitively ruled out: negotiations between the City of Brussels and the favored candidate will begin in the coming weeks, with a view to concluding a leasehold contract. If the two parties do not reach an agreement, the City of Brussels reserves the right to turn to another candidate.
Renewed Heysel
In the redevelopment of the Heysel plateau, the new project occupies an essential place: a modern stadium with 60,000 seats in the immediate vicinity of the Atomium, the Exhibition Palaces (Brussels Expo), a shopping center, a new congress hall of 5,000 seats and a theater with 15,000 seats in Palace 12.
Start of construction in 2016
At the end of June 2015, the contract for the construction of the stadium will be concluded between the City of Brussels and the selected candidate. Depending on the deadlines necessary for the issuance of the required permits, the construction of the new stadium on Parking C will be started in early 2016.
That year, the European Football Association UEFA will also designate the host city for the opening match of Euro 2020. The City of Brussels, already host city for that European Football Championship, is a candidate for this opening match.
