Türkgücü wants to build a club center - the city reacts in amazement: "Not realistic"

Created: 12/27/2022, 3:37 p.m

By: Nico-Marius Schmitz

Türkgücü Munich is looking for a home: but nobody in the city has heard of the recently announced construction plans in the east of Munich.

© Sven Hoppe/dpa

A sports and cultural center?

With several football pitches, an event hall and a multifunctional hall?

Türkgücü announces big plans.

But the city knows nothing.

Munich –

Türkgücü Munich caused a stir with these plans at a press conference a few weeks ago.

In 2025 they want to inaugurate the new club center, possibly even start construction in 2023. 

Türkgücü wants to build a club center in Riem: the city of Munich knows nothing about the plans

These announcements also surprised the city.

Neither the sports nor the culture department has heard about the project until now.

According to the sports mayor Verena Dietl, she only found out about the plans from the press.

Türkgücü's considerations are apparently aimed at an area on the corner of Riemer Straße/Am Mitterfeld, in the immediate vicinity of the Jewish sports club TSV Maccabi Munich.

The city has reserved its own plot of land there for the construction of a district sports facility for decades.

But now that a sports campus has been built just a few meters away with the school campus in Messestadt Riem, the development of the district sports facility is more uncertain than ever.

Most recently, the trade fair used the area as a parking lot for Bauma. 

Türkgücü already had the area in mind a few years ago when considering a youth academy for the then professional team in the event of promotion to the second division.

The now changed idea for a multifunctional and event hall including several football pitches, which President Taskin Akkay recently presented, is met with great skepticism by the city.

As sports mayor, she is committed to securing as many areas as possible in Munich for sports, explains Dietl.

"Since the corresponding areas are unfortunately very scarce, it should be carefully considered how it can be possible to create added sporting value for both the citizens of Munich East and up-and-coming clubs." The announced plan is "due to the sporting and financial development of Türkgücü Munich not realistic in the foreseeable future." 

Construction plans half-baked – Türkgücü rows back: “The cultural center is a dream”

And Türkgücü is now rowing back a bit when asked.

“The cultural center is a dream.

My board colleague Mehmet Tegmen was too euphoric and didn't put it quite correctly.

It's all about sport," says Akkay.

He points out that there have been corresponding plans since 2021 and that a month ago he sent an email "to Ms. Dietl's office and to the sports department" to resume talks.

“We now have to properly communicate our needs and those responsible to recognize them.

That can develop into a project," says Akkay, who is also just now advising that a start of construction in 2023 is not realistic.

Türkgücü's search for a home of his own has been going on for years and keeps boiling up.

A year and a half ago, the then managing director Max Kothny campaigned for the interests of the club and repeatedly insisted on fair treatment.

"I expect the sports city of Munich to provide us with a sports area on the same financial terms as our competitors TSV 1860 Munich and FC Bayern Munich," said Kothny at the time.

After an initially lively exchange via e-mail, personal meetings and the joint inspection of a possible area, communication between the city and the association then fell asleep again.

Türkgücü had caused considerable unrest in the east of Munich with his announcement that he would take over the district sports facility on Heinrich-Wieland-Strasse,

and to set up a junior academy there.

In the end, the plans turned out to be smoke screens.

The sports office had made it clear that the district sports facility would be retained for amateur sports and the club based on it. 

Türkgücü announces plans without informing the city: Talks are now pending

The current practice of announcing big plans without informing the city also seems questionable.

Türkgücü has now asked the city for an interview and should get an appointment in the first quarter of 2023, according to the club.

The possible club premises are to be financed through funding, donations and sponsors.

"We will make full use of all possibilities, like any other club," says Akkay: "We don't want a mega-project, but a home for Türkgücü."