The reconstruction of TJ Lokomotiva in Cheb will be more expensive than expected

Cheb - The reconstruction of the TJ Lokomotiva complex in Cheb will likely be more expensive than the city expected. This was revealed by the tender process. The lowest bid exceeded the planned budget of 40 million crowns by 12 million, and the highest of the four offers exceeded 70 million. A special session of the city council on July 28 will decide whether the city will proceed with the construction at a higher price, said Cheb's mayor Petr Navrátil (ČSSD) to reporters today.

"This year we have allocated 40 million crowns in the budget for the reconstruction of the Lokomotiva sports complex. There’s an additional 20 million crowns in the budget outlook. We anticipated 40 million, but in the ongoing tender, the lowest price was 52 million crowns. Thanks to the budget outlook, I could sign the contract, but such a serious decision should be made by the council, not the mayor alone," said Navrátil. He believes that the reconstruction is necessary, and the city should go ahead with it even at a higher cost. The Lokomotiva complex no longer meets the needs of athletes or spectators.

Not long ago, in Cheb and across the Karlovy Vary region, project budgets in tenders were generally decreasing. According to Navrátil, the reason why this case did not work out may be a flaw in the project, but also market saturation with contracts. "We will have the project verified now, but we do not expect any fundamental errors. The reality is that companies currently lack workers more than contracts," said the mayor. The deadline for completion of the construction is the end of this year, which may be limiting for some companies.

The first phase of the reconstruction of the sports complex includes the construction of a new artificial turf pitch, facilities, and changing rooms that will be added to the sports hall, as well as the establishment of networks for further phases of the complex's reconstruction. The new pitch will be slightly shifted compared to the current grass field, allowing space for a second football pitch in future phases. It is not yet definitively decided whether it will have artificial or grass turf. The grandstand, which no longer meets technical and safety standards, will be removed. Additionally, smaller modifications are expected for the adjacent hall and bowling alley.