Award for TAURON Arena Krakow at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2023

TheStadiumBusiness Awards began in 2010, and are the only awards that recognize the entire spectrum of achievements and innovations, and leaders, in the global stadium, arena and sports facility management industry. The goal is to improve industry standards and raise awareness of the stadium, arena and sports venue sector.

The other nominees in this category were TRUE Platinum zero waste certification (Mercedes-Benz Stadium/AMBSE), Go Green Report (Honeycomb Strategies/Philadelphia Eagles), Unbox Litter app (Indy Eleven/Unbox Sports Tech), “You Can Do Anything” Free Fit Area (RB Leipzig), and Disability Matters Fixture (Leicester City FC).

The award was received on behalf of Arena Krakow SA by Karolina Korusiewicz, Director of Event Services and Marketing, at a gala held at the Emirates Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester on 28 June.

To provide some background, when Russia  attacked Ukraine in February 2022, Krakow became one of the main centres providing aid for Ukrainian citizens seeking refuge in Poland. Arena Krakow SA, which manages TAURON Arena Krakow, became involved in helping refugees from the beginning. The facilities at the arena were used almost from the very start of the conflict to conduct projects aimed at supporting them.

Dziecięca Przystań  was opened at the arena on 8 March, 2022, and a refugee registration point (16 March, 2022), and UNHCR point - the UN Refugee Agency (on 7 April, 2022) were also opened at the arena.

Dziecięca Przystań is a project implemented by the City of Krakow, the TAURON Group, and Arena Krakow SA. The program was operated by the Poland Business Run Foundation, with Międzyszkolny Ośrodek Sportowy Krakow “Zachód” as its partner. Dziecięca Przystań offered space for more than one hundred children aged between zero and ten years to spend time, play and exercise. Free-of-charge activities were held daily in conference rooms, boxes, the foyer on Level B, and in the Small Hall. More than 3,700 children took part in activities at TAURON Arena Krakow and attractions organized outside the facility.

On 16 March, a refugee registration point was set up in the foyer of TAURON Arena Krakow, where Ukrainian citizens were assigned PESEL numbers. This is the only place in Poland where comprehensive assistance to refugees was provided. At the time the point at TAURON Arena Krakow was operated, more than 31,000 PESEL numbers were assigned to Ukrainian citizens.

In addition to stands run by the Department of Administrative Affairs of the City of Krakow, the premises of AURON Arena Krakow were also used for service points by the Municipal Social Assistance Centre, the Krakow Benefit Centre, the Grodzki Labour Office, the Education Department of the City of Krakow, and the Social Insurance Institution.

Employees of the Department of Administrative Affairs were assisted by employees from the National Tax Administration, the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund Krakow Office, and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture Krakow Regional Office. Volunteers and public services: Police, soldiers of the 11th Małopolska Territorial Defence Brigade, and the Border Guard, also provided much appreciated assistance.

In April, 2022, TAURON Arena Krakow began operating a UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) agency centre, providing financial assistance to those who have fled Ukraine.