The City of Groningen has unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art Kardinge Sports Centre, featuring a 400-meter ice rink, a dedicated ice sports arena, and a 3,500-seat competition hall for basketball and volleyball.

The project follows years of debate over the future of Groningen’s ice facilities and reflects a clear commitment to elite and community sport. To avoid delays, the city has decoupled the project from the broader area development, enabling faster progress toward a final investment decision in early 2027 to be taken by the Groningen city council.

The facility will become the new home for top-level clubs Donar (basketball), Lycurgus (volleybal), and GIJS (ice hockey), and includes additional sport halls, dojo spaces, and a new swimming complex. With an ambitious sustainability strategy—including solar panels, heat recovery systems, and shared infrastructure—the venue aims to operate on a zero-energy basis.

The Kardinge project plays a central role in the city’s broader vision to establish a Vitality Campus, integrating sport, health, education, and community under one roof. Over the past months, The Stadium Consultancy has managed the process of developing the current preferred option for the Kardinge Sports Centre in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders. Read more here (in Dutch).

Source image: Gemeente Groningen