Osaka ¨C Upgrade work at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium complex in Osaka Prefecture has not yet started, 5? years after a related agreement was made.
The planned upgrades, featuring the construction of a new stadium by FC Osaka, is a condition for the third-tier J. League club to use Hanazono as its home ground.
The city of Higashiosaka, which hosts the stadium complex, renewed its agreement with the club by setting a deadline to complete the work.
¡°We ask that you watch how things progress from here,¡± said Yusuke Kondo, president of FC Osaka.
In November 2019, FC Osaka proposed building a stadium holding over 5,000 seats at Hanazono Rugby Stadium¡¯s No. 2 field and donating it to the city. In exchange, the city decided to allow the club to use the proposed stadium as its home ground and granted the club temporary permission to use the facility¡¯s No. 1 field until the construction was completed.
Due to the nature of the donation, the city government did not set a deadline to finish the construction in the original agreement.
A former president of the club who spearheaded the project died in 2021. As officials in charge at the city government were transferred, both sides were unable to determine the precise details of the original agreement, delay the start of construction.
In December 2024, the city government agreed with the club that the construction would be finished by the end of March 2028, with a penalty clause stating that, if construction were deemed impossible, Hanazono would not be recognized as the club¡¯s home stadium. FC Osaka submitted a new construction plan to the city in June this year and received the mayor¡¯s approval.
Still, concerns remain about how some ?1.5 billion needed for the renovation will be secured. FC Osaka plans to pay the money over 10 years but its most recent net profit was only about ?200,000.
¡°We will make profits by managing expenses, including labor costs,¡± Kondo explained.
Isao Uebayashi, a professor at Japan Women¡¯s College for Physical Education who is well-versed in sports facility development, said, ¡°Even for donations, the two sides should have established deadlines and arrangements for delayed construction.¡±
Uebayashi also said that the city government ¡°should consider means to secure money for the construction, such as crowdfunding or subsidies from the central government, rather than relying on donations.¡±
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.