La City takes a further step towards the completion of the Sports and Events Centre (PSE): the Municipality has in fact approved a message to the City Council in which it proposes the immediate purchase of the Lugano sports hall, a structure currently under construction and considered one of the cornerstones of the first stage of the project.
The move, already anticipated in Financial Plan 2026–2033, does not arise from a financial emergency, but from a strategic assessment: taking ownership of the plant now would guarantee the city significantly greater overall savings than the alternative leasing option.
The purchase option: a decision of principle rather than budget
The heart of the municipal message is not only the request for credit - equal to approximately 80,2 million francs - but above all the political choice to focus on the purchase.
According to the Executive, activating a dedicated bond loan would allow the city to overcome, in the long term, the rental costs envisaged by the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement in force for the PSE.
The financial simulations, conducted over the same 27-year time horizon, indicate two scenarios:
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Rent + leasing: estimated rate of 3,08%, for a total of approximately 98 million francs.
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Immediate redemption via bond: total cost of around 80 million, with an assumed interest rate of 1,2%.
The difference between the two options generates a saving calculated in 18 million francs, a figure which according to the Municipality reinforces the idea that direct ownership is, over time, the most advantageous option for Lugano.
Furthermore, the decision follows the same path already taken for the PSE's other major project: the Sports Arena. In 2025, the City Council approved a €114,5 million loan for its purchase, with an estimated benefit of approximately CHF 35 million compared to the lease. Adding the two operations together, the overall savings would exceed 50 million francs.
Meanwhile, the project is progressing: delivery is expected in 2026
The PSE works are progressing according to schedule. The delivery of the sports hall, as confirmed by the administration, It is scheduled for November 2026.
Precisely in view of that date, the Municipality deems it appropriate to proceed now with planning the bond issue that will allow the redemption of the work.
At the same time, discussions with supra-regional bodies remain active. The Confederation, the Canton, and Swisslos guarantee significant subsidies, while discussions are underway that could also involve the Lugano Regional Development Agency (ERS-L) and the district municipalities for further local contributions.
Now it's up to the City Council to decide
The municipal message now enters the decisive political phase: that of examination by the City Council.
In the coming weeks, the City Council will decide whether the City Council can proceed with its immediate acquisition of the Lugano sports hall, confirming the approach already adopted for the Lugano Arena. The political direction, however, is clear: taking direct ownership of the PSE facilities represents not only a rational financial decision, but also a statement on the city's role as promoter and custodian of its key public infrastructure.
