Voters In Zürich, Switzerland Turn Down Plans For New Football Stadium By Slim Margin

The voters of Zürich, Switzerland's nine voting eligible districts "have said 'no' to the proposed new football stadium," according to BLICK. It "was a very close referendum with 50.8% voting against the stadium plans." Only the voters of districts 3, 4, 5 and 9 "voted for the stadium." The voter turnout was 49.1%. The result means that the city's two professional football clubs, FC Zürich and Grasshopper Club Zürich, "will continue to play their home games at Letzigrund, which is a track and field stadium." Former Swiss men's national team coach Köbi Kuhn said, "It is sad. But you have to take it how it comes." The proposed stadium would have required a CHF 220M ($242M) loan from the city. FC Zürich President Ancillo Canepa said that "the two clubs now have to start new talks with the city because there is no plan B" (BLICK, 9/22).