Former Balotelli club building roller coaster in £420m stadium development
A club that once starred Premier League stalwart Mario Balotelli is building a roller coaster as part of a Mega £420m stadium development.
The club, which once featured former Inter Milan, Manchester City and Liverpool striker Balotelli up front, will undertake a near-£500m transformation of their stadium, and build a roller coaster.
FC Sion, which is owned by architect Christian Constantin, are flying in the top half of the Swiss League, and are set to become the latest in a long line of top flight European clubs developing their stadiums for future use.
And their 14,200-capacity Stade de Tourbillon – in the centre of the southern town of Sion – is set for a major upgrade.
The so-called “Cervin Coliseum” would become one of the most unique stadiums in European football, with a roller coaster sitting alongside a new 80-room hotel, a retractable roofed stadium and an increase in capacity of 7,000.
Spades are expected in the ground next year with completion expected within a decade.
Major roller coaster stadium development
Much like rugby team Racing 92’s La Défense Arena in Paris, one side of the stadium will not feature spectators and will instead be a vast space to host concerts. The Parisian stadium is currently hosting a residency for Canadian star Celine Dion; the “Cervin Coliseum” could house 33,000 fans for gigs.
It would follow a major stadium development trend across the continent as European football clubs aim to replicate the year-round business that offer annual revenue boosts to many of the major US franchises.
Tottenham Hotspur has led the way on that front this side of the pond but the likes of Roma – owned by Everton owners The Friedkin Group – are developing a new arena alongside the two Milan clubs, who are leaving the San Siro.
Paris Saint-Germain are also seeking to redevelop their Parc des Princes home but face ownership issues with the local government.
