History

The long journey to the Swiss Life Arena

The ZSC Lions started playing at Zurich’s Hallenstadion in 1950. The period at the Hallenstadion was one of great emotion, an eventful period in the club’s history filled with unforgettable sporting moments for generations of ZSC fans.

However, as one of the world's most important multifunctional arenas, the Hallenstadion is not fully suited to the needs of the ZSC Lions: there are too many scheduling clashes, only limited marketing and gastronomy rights, no home base, and not enough atmosphere due to the architectural design. Hallenstadion is no longer the right place for the ZSC Lions, either financially or in organisational terms.

The construction of the Swiss Life Arena can solve these and other problems. It will serve as the new home for the National League ZSC Lions team, the U20 Elite and the U17 Elite. The steep seating tiers start close to the ice. This ensures that fans have an optimal view of matches, transforming the Arena into a “witches’ cauldron”. Fans in the standing zone will create a really lively atmosphere. The women's teams as well as youth and grass-roots teams will have better training and playing facilities, so that all teams will have enough time to train properly in future. The Swiss Life Arena will not only become the new home of the ZSC Lions and its fans, but will also host other sporting events, corporate events and sponsors’ events.

The Swiss Life Arena is financed by investors Walter Frey, Peter Spuhler and Swiss Life alongside other parties, in addition to an interest-bearing loan (not a subsidy) from the City of Zurich.

Construction of the Swiss Life Arena is discussed for many years, with multiple milestones along the route until the construction permit is finally issued.

Unforgettable moments in the Hallenstadion, like here at the 2014 championship celebrations.

Caruso St John with the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ as the competition winner.

A historic day: On 25 September 2016, the people say YES to the ZSC Lions stadium!

In February 2019, the ZSC Lions took over the 28,000 square metre construction site.

On 6 March, the long-awaited ground-breaking ceremony becomes reality.

Swiss Life, the naming rights partner, is announced at the ground-breaking ceremony.

Presidential words from Walter Frey at the ground-breaking ceremony.

CCTM takes over the overall project management and development of the Swiss Life Arena in 2010.

Construction work is progressing according to plan and Chris Baltisberger and Patrick Geering will stage the first face-off in September 2020.

On a construction site visit: The interested 1st team of the ZSC Lions.

It took around three years to build the Swiss Life Arena - and more and more of the former cauldron is becoming recognisable.

This is what the Swiss Life Arena will look like. The ZSC Lions want to play their first game in their new home in August 2022.

The steep stands start close to the pitch. This gives fans an optimal view of the action and transforms the Swiss Life Arena into a cauldron.

Milestones

2009	Location survey Testing of around 20 sites, including 15 inner-city sites and five sites elsewhere in the Canton.
2010	Feasibility study Feasibility of the stadium project at the selected Zurich-Altstetten site assessed. CCTM takes over overall project management and responsibility for project development.
2012	Competition Anonymous project competition according to a selective procedure.
2013	Competition winner The “Theatre of Dreams” by Caruso St John Architects comes out ahead and beats the competition.
2015	Decision by the Zurich City Council City of Zurich gives backing for the ZSC Lions stadium: on 16 September 2015, the City Council approves the relevant directive for the communal council.
2016	Decision by the Zurich Communal Council The Zurich Communal Council gives its blessing for the ice hockey stadium on 15 June 2016. The puck is now passed to Zurich’s voters, who vote on the stadium in the autumn of 2016.
2016	Referendum The City of Zurich gives the green light for the ZSC Lions stadium on 25 September 2016, with 56.6% voting in favour.
2018	Issue of building permit Private design plan takes effect and the construction decision is issued at the end of October 2018, following which the appeal period expires on 1 December 2018. No appeals are lodged by any third party. There are therefore no obstacles to construction approval in January 2019.
2019	Construction approval After an eight-year planning and approval phase, the time has finally come and the ZSC Lions can start construction work. Although the construction decision is not yet legally valid, the issues outstanding under the ongoing appeal are resolved within reconsideration proceedings conducted in parallel, thus resulting in the grant of provisional construction approval in January 2019.
2019	Taking over of construction land ZSC Lions assume responsibility for a 28,000 m² construction site in February 2019.
2019	Breaking ground and naming rights The ZSC Lions come one very large step closer to fulfilling their dream of having their own Arena when ground is finally broken on 6 March 2019. The celebration held at the Zurich Altstetten site is also taken as an opportunity to announce the stadium’s name: the ZSC Lions are proud to have found Swiss Life as a venue sponsor partner. The stadium is hence baptised as the “Swiss Life Arena”.
2019 – 2022	Construction phase The Swiss Life Arena, which will one day offer space for 12,000 spectators, takes around three years to build. The ZSC Lions plan to play their first match in their new home in August 2022. Pure emotion!
2022	Opening After three years of construction work, the ZSC Lions inaugurate the Swiss Life Arena in front of a sell-out crowd on 18 October 2022. The home team wins the first championship match in the new Arena against the HC Fribourg Gottéron 2:1.

History

Milestones

Location