Close-up: Christian van Ginneke, Project Manager Elite Sports Training & Health Centre
Christian van Ginneke will take part in ESSMA’s Development & Construction Workshop to elaborate the multifunctional FC Groningen training site project. He is the client representative and project manager of Euroborg NV for the Elite Sports Training & Health Centre for FC Groningen (Dutch Premier League). Euroborg NV is the owner of both the stadium and training site and they lease the facilities to FC Groningen.
About Elite Sports Training & Health Centre
The Elite Sports Training & Health Centre is a 6,000 m2 GLA mixed-use development. It consists of the training and youth academy facilities for FC Groningen, including a performance centre, indoor training facilities, a health centre, a commercial restaurant, meeting areas as well as commercial offices. The complex aims to combine state-of-the-art sport training & -science facilities, healthcare facilities and facilities for entrepreneurs.
What can ESSMA members expect from your presentation?
I’ll explain the process from concept to the realisation of the Elite Sports Training & Health Centre. The emphasis will be on the different phases and steps which have been taken to create a feasible and long-term business case. With a focus on:
- Concept modelling and feasibility study – foundation of the plan;
- Stakeholder management – continuous approval process and information exchange with stakeholders, main tenants and surroundings;
- Tender and contracting – selection of construction consortium for the design, construction and maintenance;
- Design and construction – elaboration from offer to final design and realisation;
- Lifecycle management – sustainable exploitation of the building (current phase of the project).
What was the strategy of the club in terms of multifunctional use?
During the development process of the stadium and training centre complex both the municipality and FC Groningen agreed that the facilities should have a multifunctional use, and not only on matchdays, to ensure the project’s feasibility.
Questions regarding the training centre complex focused on the required facilities to strengthen and combine the concept of sports, exercise, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle as well as creating an added value for the city and province Groningen. In addition to facilities to train and educate athletes, sports medicine facilities have also been added. They focus on the prevention and rehabilitation of sports medical injuries. Furthermore, an employer’s organisation is present to promote the interests of vitality and a healthy working style.
What is your experience of ESSMA events and why did you decide to speak during one of our workshops?
ESSMA events are the knowledge exchange platform to share projects and experiences with industry professionals. I want to share my knowledge with the ESSMA community and explain that connecting with the community not only increases a project’s feasibility but it broadens the club’s role within the community.