Bayern Munich Set To Invest $2.7M To Modernize 6,700-Seat Audi Dome

Bundesliga Basketball (BBL) club Bayern Munich will invest about €2.5M ($2.7M) "to modernize the Audi Dome," according to Nils Lehnebach of SPONSORs. The club only recently withdrew from a new arena project together with German Hockey League (DEL) side EHC Red Bull Munich. Bayern "intends to upgrade the locker rooms and the arena concourse, which will also include a new fan shop." The biggest project, however, will be upgrading the arena's capacity from its current 6,700 seats. First estimates stated that a capacity of 7,800 to 8,000 is possible. Construction work for the capacity upgrade "will start in '17 at the earliest." Bayern in '11 invested €4.5M to modernize the arena. In order to profit from the proposed upgrades, Bayern wants to extend its arena lease, which is set to expire in '18. Bayern Basketball Managing Dir Volker Stix: "We are aiming for another five to 10 years" (SPONSORs, 3/1).