The municipal board on Wednesday approved a document titled 'report on financial strategies for investment and operation of a new arena park and central bath' after tabling the matter five times since January. The administration assesses that the cost corresponds to about six percent of all investments over a ten-year period and is therefore manageable. However, the city's total loan debt last year increased by 5.8 billion kronor and reached 66.8 billion.
Political divisions over financing have emerged. The parties Moderaterna, Demokraterna, Liberalerna, and Centern argue that it is not serious to not already have a clear idea of where the money will come from. They advocate that a large part of the arena project should be paid for by the city selling off properties, for example by making it more affordable for residents living on leasehold land to buy them out. In contrast, Socialdemokraterna and Vänsterpartiet have rejected that line and said that the municipality's ongoing surplus and, if necessary, a tax increase can handle the cost.
The financing issue has unfortunately not been possible to resolve jointly.
Moderaterna, Demokraterna, and Liberalerna submitted a statement mentioning that 'the financing issue has unfortunately not been possible to resolve jointly' and wrote that the up to 14 billion need to be raised 'without borrowing'. Centerpartiet is not in agreement with Socialdemokraterna and Vänsterpartiet but has written a separate statement on the same theme: 'Centerpartiet believes that the city must actively work to free up its own capital.' Socialdemokraterna and Vänsterpartiet have formulated a response statement where they write that 'the long implementation time of the project also means that it is neither possible nor desirable to lock in financing conditions too early in the process.'
Minority parties reject the main proposal or seek preservation of Valhallabadet. Kristdemokraterna and Sverigedemokraterna say no to the main proposal and want another redo to build simpler and cheaper. Miljöpartiet primarily fights for Valhallabadet not to be demolished. The exact total cost of the arena project remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether Valhallabadet will be preserved or demolished. The timeline for the project if it proceeds has not been specified.
Without a joint financing solution, there is no project.
Centerpartiet believes that the city must actively work to free up its own capital.
The long implementation time of the project also means that it is neither possible nor desirable to lock in financing conditions too early in the process.