Overview
- The Oldenburg city council voted Monday to award the construction contract and commit a €57.3 million budget to a new stadium project, moving the plan into implementation.
- The site is set in Donnerschwee next to Oldenburg Hauptbahnhof and the Weser‑Ems‑Hallen, with an initial capacity of 10,604 seats and a planned option to expand to about 15,000.
- Officials set a target completion window for late 2028 or early 2029 and intend VfB Oldenburg to be the anchor tenant relocating from the Marschwegstadion.
- Critics warn of rising costs and missing approvals, with reports that the project already sits €1.9 million over the original budget, that EU notification and other permits are still pending, and that opponents are preparing legal challenges.
- The city has awarded the contract to a total contractor though that firm has not been named, and the shift is expected to allow concerts and multiuse revenue while raising local concerns about neighborhood impact and public spending.