In the framework of the program of public control over Ukraine’s preparations for Euro-2012 journalists of Ukrainian mass media visited Kharkiv where they were able to personally assess the level of preparedness of the main facilities of Euro-2012 that are being developed and reconstructed by the general investor of preparation of the ‘first capital’ for Euro-2012 – the DCH Group owned by Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy.
AIRPORT. The journalists came to Kharkiv by air, therefore the first facility they visited was Kharkiv International Airport which is being reconstructed by DCH Group. Currently, a new terminal is under construction there. Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy – the owner of the DCH Group, the general investor of Kharkiv’s preparations for Euro-2012 and the president of Metallist FC: We started the development last year and now the basement is almost ready and we are starting external work. The structural steel can be already seen above the basement. We are ahead of schedule and hope to maintain this speed. He also underlined that the crisis has affected neither the work flow nor the total investment volume of the project, but only forced them ‘to focus on the work’. Mr Yaroslavskyy: There were no essential changes in the budget. At the very launch of the project I said it would cost about EUR 63–65 mln – and this figure has not changed much.
According to Vladimir Vasilchenko, general director of New Systems AM (a part of DCH Holding), development of the new terminal will be completed in 2010, and then they will reconstruct the adjacent area, install specialized equipment and develop the necessary infrastructure. The company has already spent over UAH 30 mln on development of the terminal in 2009 and plans to invest about UAH 180 mln more before the year end.
STADIUM. The journalists spend most of the time at the reconstruction site of the Metallist sports complex – the main facility of the future football championship. Construction and assembly works are going in full swing there and were not stopped even for the sake of the distinguished guests. Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy gave an interview standing right on the disassembled West stand, where the old VIP zone used to be. The new VIP area will be located in a special building. behind the West stand. Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy: A new 5-story complex is being developed there. The basement floor will accommodate locker rooms for football players, the first floor – the entrances and lobbies, the second floor – the press center, the third floor – a restaurant for 360 people and the fourth floor will accommodate seven sky boxes to be sold to those who would like to enjoy the matches with special comfort. The fifth floor will be the mass media area.
Construction of this building and assembly of the new roofing (with a 16 m transparent front part) are to be completed in 6–8 weeks. The total weight of the roof will reach 3.5 thousand tonnes. All the works are being implemented by Ukrainian specialists, and almost all the construction materials are produced in Ukraine. However, we also attract foreign contractors who have already proved their high expertise in other UEFA projects. We will finish the main share of works already by September and will be 'polishing' the stadium till the year end – said Aleksandr Yaroslavskyy. He also emphasized that the total volume of investments into reconstruction of the Metallist stadium will amount to approximately UAH 400 mln, and UAH 200 mln has already been invested and spent.
The DCH Group and Metallist FC president emphasized that all the works are being implemented in full compliance with the UEFA requirements: For instance, we ordered and prepared for installation half-height turnstiles, started works in front of the East stand, but due to new stricter UEFA requirements we changed the order and started the installation of 72 full-height turnstiles. Everything to the tiniest detail will comply with the UEFA requirements.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH FOOTBALL ACADEMY. The journalists also visited the construction site of the Metallist’s Children and Youth Football Academy. Currently there are nine ready training fields of different sizes with synthetic coating on the area of the future academy for children and teenagers of different age groups. The total area of the fields amounts to about 15 thousand sq m. The field of 105х68 m is used for matches by the youth system of Metallist FC. An accommodation facility for young sportsmen with an area of about 2 thousand sq m is close to completion, currently the finishing works are being implemented.
According to the preliminary plans, the academy development is to be completed in September 2009, however, DCH is ahead of schedule. Sergey Volik, general director of Metallist FC: We are putting the academy into operation on May 25, and the official opening ceremony is to take place on June 1 – the International Children's Day. He also emphasized that during the finals of Euro-2012 the academy can be used for accommodation of the technical personnel of the participating teams and representatives of the mass media. The fields of the academy can be transformed into area for championship and teams’sponsors.
Sergey Volik: When designing the stadium and preparing it for Euro-2012 we considered the Academy to be an accommodation facility for the technical personnel and mass media representatives. It is very convenient as the distance between the stadium and the academy is just a few meters. The fields can be easily transformed into the so-called hospitality zones for the championship sponsors – about 3,000 people. UEFA experts confirm that the academy fully complies with all the requirements.
EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING BASE OF FC METALLIST. The last facility visited by the journalist was the educational and training base of FC Metallist. Reconstruction works and development of new buildings there will be completed by the year end. When the works are over, the football club will have at its disposal about 50 single and double rooms, a VIP area with suites, a medical and rehabilitation center with a swimming pool of 17x8 m, a doping control area, a press center, etc. Besides, the existing football fields will be improved. According to representatives of the DCH Group, during Euro-2012 the educational and training base can be used for accommodating the players and service personnel of one of the teams.
