In the Rhône valley city of Sion, a football ground is being imagined as a year-round destination rather than a venue that comes alive only on matchdays. FC Sion have unveiled plans for the Cervin Coliseum, a proposed new stadium whose most unusual feature is a roller coaster built into the complex.
The Swiss top-flight club has placed the projected cost at €494 million. Local authorities are now reviewing the proposal, while Sion hope construction could be completed within four years if the scheme advances.
Quick facts
- FC Sion have presented the Cervin Coliseum stadium project.
- The planned capacity is up to 21,000 spectators.
- The development is budgeted at €494 million.
- Plans include an integrated roller coaster, 80 hotel rooms and a retractable roof.
- The club envisage a four-year construction period.
The 21,000-seat venue would be a substantial step up from the Stade de Tourbillon, Sion’s current home, which holds 14,000. The new design also includes 80 hotel rooms, extending the project beyond football infrastructure.
A retractable roof is part of the proposal, as is a system designed to cover the playing surface during concerts and other non-football events. That protection is intended to preserve the natural grass pitch while allowing the arena to host a wider calendar.
The roller coaster is central to Sion’s ambition to keep the site active throughout the week and across the year. Rather than relying solely on league fixtures, the club want the stadium precinct to draw visitors on non-matchdays.
Founded in 1909, Sion are two-time Swiss champions, having won the title in 1991-92 and 1996-97. They finished fourth in the most recent season, and the Cervin Coliseum proposal now offers the club a potentially transformative project on and beyond the pitch.
