The Minister of Tourism and Sport of the Slovak Republic, Rudolf Huliak, announced today in Zvolen the beginning of the implementation of the project for the construction of a multifunctional athletic hall, which will be one of the three ne
October 7, 2025
Tourism | Ministry | Press releases
The Minister of Tourism and Sport of the Slovak Republic, Rudolf Huliak, announced today in Zvolen the beginning of the implementation of the project for the construction of a multifunctional athletic hall, which will be one of the three new halls of national importance. In addition to Zvolen, they will also be built in Martin and Košice. The Government of the Slovak Republic decided to allocate EUR 25 million for this purpose at an external meeting in Borša at the proposal of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Slovak Republic (MCRŠ), which will coordinate the financing of projects through the Slovak Athletic Association.
According to the government's decision, €15 million will go to the construction of a hall in Zvolen and €5 million each to halls in Martin and Košice. The projects will have technical and sports parameters that meet the standards of international athletics organizations, which will rank Slovakia among the countries capable of organizing major international athletic events.
"We listened to the call of athletes who lacked the necessary infrastructure. However, the hall will not only serve professionals, but also the general public. It is a support for the sports of our children, who often had to commute to training. Every child should play sports where they live and go to school. That is our goal that we want to achieve. Whether it's this hall or investments in village gyms," said Minister Huliak in Zvolen.
The Minister emphasized that the investment in sports infrastructure has a significant social and economic overlap: "Athletics as a tool for the healthy physical development of children and youth is also of great importance for disease prevention and health protection. The investment of 25 million euros in athletic halls will pay off in the future in the form of savings in health care and will also bring a direct impact on regional development."
The construction of the halls fits into the Programme Statement of the Government of the Slovak Republic, which emphasizes the development of sports infrastructure and the reduction of regional differences. Slovakia has approximately half a billion investment debt in sports infrastructure. This investment will cut about five percent of it. In addition to its sporting significance, the project will also have a positive impact on tourism. The new halls will make it possible to organize international events, which will increase the number of visitors to the regions and improve their economic activity.
"On behalf of the athletics movement, I would like to thank the ministry for this great investment. Athletics is the basic sport and the number 1 Olympic sport. Last year, we lost the only certified hall and we have insufficient training conditions for Slovakia. If everything that is planned succeeds, the conditions for the development of athletics will be significantly improved. I believe that we will take advantage of this huge chance and move athletics forward," said Peter Korčok, President of the Slovak Athletic Association, at the press conference.
Financing and implementation of the project
The recipient of the funds is the Slovak Athletic Association, which will distribute the funds to local governments on the basis of special contracts.
The operators of the halls will be:
• City of Zvolen,
• City of Martin,
• Košice Self-Governing Region.
At the same time, the Slovak Athletics Federation guarantees that the halls will meet all the requirements of European and World Athletics. The construction should be completed within three years of the start of implementation.
Modernization of the sports complex of the Ľudovít Štúr Grammar School in Zvolen from the Sports Support Fund
The sports complex of the Ľudovít Štúr Grammar School in Zvolen will undergo extensive modernization after decades. Since its inception in the 1980s, it has not undergone a major renovation and its current state no longer meets the requirements for quality physical education or sports training. That is why the Sports Support Fund supported the project of its renewal. As part of the reconstruction, three new multifunctional courts will be created for football, basketball and handball, while they will also be able to be used for tennisand volleyball. The project will also include a workout playground with 12 exercise elements, new lighting, a camera system, container changing rooms, toilets, showers and complete furniture. The area will be complemented by barrier-free sidewalks and access roads to make it fully accessible to all visitors. Both of these investments will certainly please the people of Zvolen in particular. "I am glad that we are meeting on such an occasion. As a citizen of Zvolen and as a doctor, I am glad that we are creating spaces where young people can play sports. We need to lure them away from mobile phones and televisions, and this can only be done so that they will have a place to train even in winter," added Jozef Ježík, a member of the city council in Zvolen.
The modernized sports grounds will not only be intended for grammar school students – they will also be able to be used by local sports clubs and the public, making the area an important center of sports and community life in the region.
The total eligible expenditure of the project will exceed EUR 927,000, of which EUR 649,000 is a contribution from the Sports Support Fund, the completion of the work is scheduled for August 2026.
Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Slovak Republic
media@mincrs.sk