Greek parliament passes law for Karaiskakis stadium rebuild, capacity to 52,000

Parliament approves the rebuild

Greece's parliament voted on Wednesday, 11 November, to approve a legislative provision for the modernisation, upgrade and expansion of the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus, the home ground of Olympiacos. The provision sits inside a bill from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, filed at the end of October, whose formal title concerns electricity market design and the transposition of an EU directive. Reports cite a cost of 250 million euros for the project, which Olympiacos will finance. The provision was added during the legislative process and was not part of the initial public consultation.

Capacity and facilities

The bill raises seating from 33,500 to 52,000 by reshaping the stands and building a new lightweight canopy. One report puts the eventual capacity above 53,000 spectators and calls the stadium the largest football ground in Greece, while the bill itself gives at least 52,000. The plan also includes a 2,000 square metre Media Center with a 320-seat amphitheatre and 1,000 square metres of working space. Spectator circulation would run across four levels, with 32 escalators, 60 lifts, 20 double staircases and 70 access gates. The completed stadium would stand more than 52 metres tall.

Current seating33,500

Planned seating52,000

Current seating

33500 seats

Planned seating

52000 seats

Data from the article text

Height and density limits

Article 83 sets the building envelope. The western building may reach 35 metres, new stands on the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest sides up to 37 metres, and stands on the north, south, east and west sides up to 45 metres. A new lightweight canopy may rise to 52 metres measured from every point of the new outline, and to 58 metres inside the ground measured from the pitch. The maximum building coefficient is set at 0.75 and the site coverage at 60%. At least 65% of the permitted floor area must serve sports uses, with the remaining 35% for accompanying uses such as shops, catering, offices, injury rehabilitation and cultural spaces. At least 1,800 parking spaces are required.

West side building (max)35

NE, SE, SW, NW new stands (max)37

N, S, E, W new stands (max)45

Lightweight canopy from outline (max)52

Canopy inside ground (max)58

West side building (max)

35 m

NE, SE, SW, NW new stands (max)

37 m

N, S, E, W new stands (max)

45 m

Lightweight canopy from outline (max)

52 m

Canopy inside ground (max)

58 m

Data from the article text

Concession and naming rights

Article 84 hands the use, administration and management of the stadium to the Olympiacos Piraeus Supporters' Association sports club for 49 years. The term starts from the date the concession contract is signed. That contract is to be concluded between the General Secretariat of Sport, the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the amateur Olympiacos club. The rights and obligations may be transferred to PAE Olympiacos so the ground keeps serving as the football team's home. The bill also grants naming rights, which opens the door to commercial use of the stadium's name.

What remains

Environmental approvals and building permits are a precondition for carrying out the works. The reports do not give a start date for construction or a completion date for the new ground. The signing date of the concession contract will therefore determine when the 49-year term begins.