Kreuzbleiche Sports Hall: Feasibility Study Underway
The Kreuzbleiche Sports Hall, a key venue for St. Gallen’s handball clubs, has been in operation for almost fifty years and no longer meets the requirements of modern elite sport. The City of St. Gallen is therefore exploring the feasibility of a comprehensive refurbishment and upgrade, combined with a residential development that would help finance the project. As the owner and operator of the sports hall, the City has commissioned a feasibility study to provide the basis for deciding whether to take the project forward. To support this process, it has entered into a partnership with Halter AG.
Under its Sports Facilities Strategy, the City of St. Gallen is pursuing a decentralised approach to the development of sports infrastructure. Investment is focused on five designated sports hubs across the city, each with a distinct role within the overall network. Kreuzbleiche is one of these key locations. Situated close to the city centre, it has been a focal point for sport in St. Gallen since the Kreuzbleiche Sports Hall opened in the 1980s and remains an important landmark in the urban landscape.
Kreuzbleiche no longer meets today's requirements
The Kreuzbleiche Sports Hall has played a significant role in the success and identity of St. Gallen's handball clubs for decades. As a multifunctional venue, it accommodates school sports, community sport and elite competition alike. Architecturally, the building is widely regarded as an important piece of the city's built heritage. However, its infrastructure has reached the end of its service life and requires substantial renewal. Operationally, it no longer meets the standards expected of a modern indoor sports and events arena. As a result, national and international events have increasingly been held elsewhere. A comprehensive refurbishment has therefore become necessary, both from a structural and an operational perspective.
Modern facilities are essential for elite and community sport
Handball and floorball continue to evolve rapidly, both on and off the field, and require facilities that reflect their growing importance. A refurbished, modern and multifunctional Kreuzbleiche Sports Hall has the potential to meet these needs while strengthening St. Gallen's position as a leading venue for indoor sport at regional, national and international level. Elite sport also plays a vital role in inspiring participation at grassroots level. Investing in high-quality infrastructure therefore benefits not only professional athletes, but also the wider sporting community.
Public-private partnership to assess the project's feasibility
To explore the potential for refurbishing and redeveloping the Kreuzbleiche Sports Hall into a modern indoor sports and events arena, the City of St. Gallen has commissioned a feasibility study. The study will also examine the possibility of integrating a residential development above the sports facilities to help finance the investment.
To deliver this work, the City has entered into a partnership with Halter AG, which has extensive experience throughout Switzerland in developing, delivering and operating comparable projects. These include the recently completed Pilatus Arena in Kriens near Lucerne, which has successfully commenced operations.
The feasibility study will be supported by municipal and cantonal authorities. It will consider a broad range of factors, including the requirements of elite and community sport, urban design, architecture, heritage conservation, landscape and public space, financing, operational models and planning legislation. The objective is to develop a balanced and coherent overall concept that carefully weighs all relevant considerations and provides the City with a sound basis for deciding whether to proceed with the project.
