Midweek Reporter
HARARE- Government has engaged Mabetex Group senior executives to discuss a plan of constructing an imposing multi-purpose $500m stadium in Harare’s new administrative capital, Mount Hampden.
Zimbabwe Treasury officials recently met senior executives from Mabetex Group in Davos, Switzerland on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum to discuss plans for a mega project.
“Building a retractable roof stadium is an expensive, multi-hundred-million-dollar undertaking, with total project costs often ranging from $500 million to over $1.6 billion for major professional venues. The retractable roof mechanism alone adds approximately $70 million to $90 million or more to the total, with recent estimates suggesting adding one to an existing venue can exceed $350 million,” according to experts.
In an X (formerly Twitter) post, the Finance Ministry touted the development, describing it as a landmark project that is expected to significantly transform the country’s sporting and cultural landscape.
The Ministry added that meeting Mabetex founder, Behgjet Pacolli and the General Counsel Korab Toplica cements the project’s credibility.
“This landmark project is set to redefine Zimbabwe’s sporting and cultural landscape.
“The meeting included Mabetex Founder and Chairman Mr Behgjet Pacolli and General Counsel Mr Korab Toplica, cementing the project’s credibility and commercial strength,” reads the post.
The Finance Ministry also noted that Mabetex Group will partner experts aligned to FIFA to execute a 30-year, Treasury light financing model.
“Matebex, a global leader behind iconic mega-infrastructure, is partnering with FIFA-aligned experts to deliver a 30-year, Treasury- financing model that ensures sustainability and world-class standards.”
The proposed stadium with a retractable roof will be a venue for international football, rugby, major concerts and large scale events.
The development comes on the backdrop of declining standards of local sporting infrastructure.
Efforts to resuscitate the National Sports Stadium are hampered by delays.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned the country from hosting international football matches after the later failed to meet the expected stadium standards.
A sport commentator and staunch Masvingo United supporter, Amos Sithole from Mucheke laughed at the proposed stadium and said instead of sprucing up available facilities the government is dreaming of building a gigantic structure with a retractable roof.
“While it is good news that the government plans to build a state of the art stadium, what is surprising is since the time of the first republic the National Sports Stadium has been undergoing repairs and repairs which have not been completed up to now and the country remains banned to host international matches.
“Why not complete the tasks at hand and then we move to the next phase of having new stadia. There is absolutely no need to build a $100m stadium, when there is no stadium in Masvingo, Kadoma, Gweru, Gwanda, Mutare that is capable of hosting international or premier league matches.
“I always wonder whether these people consult before they engage in such white elephants projects, it is just like the Mucheke and Chimusana bridges, why not completing one bridge and motorists use that then move to the nest than spreading the few resources to five bridges which are all at foundation stage,” said Sithole.
