Apoel unveil plans for new stadium
Cypriot football giants Apoel on Friday unveiled its plans for the new stadium it is set to build.
The stadium will be located in the village of Kokkinotrimithia and will have an initial capacity of 14,669 seats, with an eventual planned expansion to 19,269. Of that capacity, there will be a total of 1,926 VIP seats.
Construction of the ground is set to cost a total of €35 million, with works set to take 30 months.
The Republic of Cyprus is set to pay for between 30 and 35 per cent of the construction cost, with Cypriot American businessman Constantine Iordanou to pay for 49 per cent of the rest of the project.
Apoel said that it is still “making an effort” to find sponsors to pay for the remainder of the construction cost.
Speaking at the project launch, Apoel chairman Prodromos Petrides said “today marks a milestone. This is a lifelong dream come true for me, even though I could have given up on it many times. But it was a non-negotiable goal.”
He added: “Apoel will continue to win titles and have European successes, but the projects which will form the foundations of these successes need patience. It is time to stop thinking of the stadium as an elusive dream.”
Iordanou also spoke at the launch, saying “I left Cyprus 54 years ago. I am 74 years old. Not a single day passed where I did not remember our Cyprus. I have been an Apoel fan since I was a child.
“I share the Apoel family’s dream … This will be a jewel for Nicosia and will give opportunities not only for Kokkinotrimithia and Nicosia, but also to many children who want sport to be a part of their life,” he said.
Apoel have played at the GSP Stadium in Latsia since 1999, which they share with arch-rivals Omonia. Prior to that, they played at the Makarios Stadium in Makedonitissa between 1978 and 1999, and at the old GSP Stadium in central Nicosia before that.