“Sion 2030”: New Football Stadium with Roller Coaster and Hotel Planned

(eap) In the heart of the Swiss canton of Valais, between the Rhône River and the hills of Valère and Tourbillon, a new stadium is planned for Swiss football club FC Sion. And the proposed “Cervin Coliseum” is intended to be much more than just a sports venue: Plans envisage a year-round leisure and entertainment complex featuring concert facilities, a hotel, various leisure attractions and even a roller coaster running around the stadium building.

A roller coaster running around the stadium building is planned to become a landmark of the new complex. | Visualisation: Christian Constantin SA

A preliminary application for the “Sion 2030” project has recently been submitted to the relevant authorities of the canton of Valais and the city of Sion, with initial details of the plans also made public. At the heart of the project is a multi-purpose stadium designed to host not only more than 25 football matches a year, but also over 100 other events, including concerts, conferences and sporting competitions such as tennis, American football and basketball.

To make the stadium an attractive destination beyond scheduled events, a range of leisure and dining facilities is also planned. These include an 80-room hotel directly connected to the stadium, a gourmet restaurant and a leisure area covering approximately 7,500 square metres, offering – for example – arcade games and virtual reality experiences. A particular highlight is set to be a roller coaster running around the stadium building, which is intended to become a highly visible landmark of the new complex.

With a permanent concert stage featuring integrated event and LED technology, the stadium is also intended to serve as a concert venue for up to 33,000 visitors. | Visualisation: Christian Constantin SA

A permanent, semi-dome-shaped concert stage is planned to facilitate the stadium’s multi-purpose use. The stage structure is to be fully lined with LED technology and equipped with integrated sound and lighting systems as well as rigging facilities, eliminating the need for the time-consuming installation of temporary stages. A retractable roof and an automated system for covering the pitch are also intended to enable flexible use for a wide variety of event formats.

The Cervin Coliseum is designed to accommodate around 21,000 spectators for football matches, with capacity increasing to nearly 33,000 for concerts. The entire complex is expected to have a gross floor area of approximately 51,000 square metres.

An 80-room hotel directly connected to the stadium is planned to complement the leisure and entertainment offerings. | Visualisation: Christian Constantin SA

The new stadium is intended to replace FC Sion’s current home ground. The club, which has won two Swiss league titles and 13 Swiss Cups to date, currently plays at the oldest stadium in the Swiss Super League, the top division of Swiss men’s football. In addition to the club’s strong regional ties, the project developers are also banking on the location’s tourism potential: Almost five million people live within a 200-kilometre radius, while the canton of Valais records approximately 4.53 million overnight hotel stays each year.

The project is being developed by architectural firm Christian Constantin SA, owned by the architect of the same name, a former goalkeeper and long-serving president of FC Sion. The preliminary application is intended to clarify the technical requirements and identify potential challenges in implementing the project. The plans are scheduled to be submitted for public review in mid-2027, with completion targeted for 2030. ■