H. Králové could buy the Expo pavilion only if he secures a grant for it

Hradec Králové - The city of Hradec Králové could buy the Czech pavilion from this year's World Expo in Japan only if it secures a subsidy for the purchase. The city would like to have clarity on this by November 4, when a city council meeting is held. If a subsidy is secured, the council could discuss a resolution expressing interest in purchasing the pavilion. This was stated today by the mayor Pavlína Springerová (Hradec Democratic Club) at the council meeting.

"The city leadership definitely does not count on the option of purchase being financed from the city budget. They do not count on it being covered in any way by a loan either. The only option available is a subsidy,” the mayor said. She reiterated that she sees the purchase of the pavilion as a great opportunity for the city. In August, the mayor mentioned that the city could try to obtain a subsidy from the European ITI program.

According to the mayor, there is little time to resolve the entire issue. "Time is quite a big enemy,” she said. The Expo, which is attended by 158 countries, started in April and will last until October 13.

The city's authorities have not yet decided anything regarding the pavilion. The councilors only held a discussion about the possible purchase at the August meeting. A week ago, on September 23, the city organized a public debate on the topic of purchasing the pavilion at the East Bohemia Museum, which was attended by about 70 people.

The costs of acquiring and relocating the pavilion to Hradec Králové were estimated by Ondřej Soška, the commissioner of the Czech participation at the Expo, in discussions in August and September to be between 206 and 278 million crowns. The pavilion itself would cost about 130 to 150 million crowns, with Soška ruling out the possibility of donating the pavilion to the city.

According to the mayor, the pavilion would significantly support tourism in Hradec Králové, strengthen the cultural identity of the city, and bring unique spaces usable by institutions from across the Czech Republic to the city. Critics of the purchase point to the unclear use of the pavilion and unknown future operational costs. According to Soška, concerts, exhibitions, conferences, or festivals could be held there.

According to Soška, the pavilion could also remain in Japan. He mentioned that three interested parties in Japan have shown interest in the structure, which is designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons. The pavilion, which has already been visited by over a million people, is considered one of the highlights of the Expo, has excellent acoustics, and guests are excited about it. If no one buys the pavilion, it could be sold off as building materials, which could bring in around 40 million crowns, according to Soška.