Gdańsk Courtesy of BIEG 2012

This year will be critical for Poland’s preparations for the Euro 2012 soccer championships, which the country will co-host with Ukraine. While 2011 will undoubtedly be crunch time, stress levels next year will depend in large part on how much gets done over the next nine months.

The majority of key projects which must be developed before the event starts are already under construction in the four Polish host cities – Warsaw, Poznań, Wrocław and Gdańsk. Now the crucial matter will be to ensure that construction remains on schedule for an on-time completion.

According to a recent statement by the Government Information Center, 70 percent of ongoing Euro 2012 infrastructure projects, including three of the four host stadiums, were firmly on schedule as of the second half of last year.

Some developments included in Poland’s preparation strategy for Euro 2012 have already been delivered. In Warsaw, for instance, these include the completion of the city’s first subway line, the development of the Młociny transportation junction and the modernization of a major tram line.

Wrocław at risk

Poznań Courtesy of Euro Poznań 2012

In a recent confidential report, the main conclusions of which have been leaked to the Polish media, UEFA, the controlling body for European soccer, described risk related to the project as very high and the city’s plans to have the stadium ready by mid-2011 as very optimistic.

It is likely that the stadium will be delivered no sooner than at the end of next year. Nonetheless, the prospect of Wrocław losing its hosting rights has not arisen thus far.

Other cities’ progress

No major problems have been reported as far as the construction of the National Stadium in Warsaw is concerned. Nevertheless, the UEFA report criticized the development of infrastructure around the stadium, including the renovation of surrounding roads and modernization of a nearby railway station.
 

t is also already certain that neither the second subway line nor a new Warsaw Central Railway Station will materialize in time for the championships, as was originally planned. And the modernization of the Warsaw West railway station has not even started yet.

The situation is better in Poznań and Gdańsk, although they too have suffered delays. In Poznań, this concerns both a planned railway station and upgrades to the city’s airport. In Gdańsk, work on a number of road projects has encountered problems. Some of the highway schemes which were intended to improve links between Polish host cities may also be endangered.

Polish market at stake?

Poland’s performance in organizing Euro 2012 could greatly affect its future attractiveness in the eyes of international property developers and investors, argues John Duckworth, managing director CEE at Jones Lang LaSalle.

“The direct impact of Euro 2012 on the overall property market in Poland will be moderate; there are, however, important indirect influences that the property sector and wider business will watch for carefully,” Mr Duckworth said.

Warsaw Courtesy of NCS-J.Kosnik

“If Euro 2012 can act as a stimulus to critical road and rail infrastructure investments and literally help ‘join up the dots,’ then the overall economic impact will far outweigh the short-term economic boost usually provided by these types of sporting events,” he said.

Last but not least, Euro 2012 will help promote the “Poland” brand. “For a short period of time, the world media will focus on the country and this provides yet more opportunities for Poland to shine in terms of image, profile and attractiveness for investment,” Mr Duckworth concluded.