In this project for the State of Lower Austria, icons analysed the existing ice sports infrastructure and derived concrete strategic recommendations for the long-term development of ice sports in the region.
Project Snapshot
Project: Needs and inventory analysis of ice sports infrastructure in Lower Austria
Client: State of Lower Austria - Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government, Sports Department
Project period: July 2024 to April 2025
Services: Infrastructure analysis, benchmarking, demand assessment, strategic recommendations
Situation
Lower Austria has a long tradition in ice sports, ranging from ice hockey and figure skating to curling-like ice stock sport. At the same time, a large share of existing facilities faces structural challenges: many venues require refurbishment, available ice time is often insufficient for club operations, and modern weather-protected indoor arenas are comparatively rare.
At the same time, a robust data basis to prioritise investments and map the real needs of clubs was missing. Against this backdrop, the State of Lower Austria commissioned a comprehensive analysis of existing ice sports infrastructure.
Approach
icons developed a multi-stage analysis framework for the strategic assessment of ice sports infrastructure. In the first step, we conducted international benchmarking against comparable regions such as Styria, Upper Austria, Lower Bavaria and Freiburg. This made structural differences in club density, member counts and infrastructure supply visible.
In parallel, we assessed the concrete needs of ice sports clubs. Through targeted data collection and ice-time demand analysis, we quantified how many ice hours are actually required across sports such as ice hockey, figure skating and ice stock sport.
In addition, we analysed all existing facilities with regard to construction type, utilisation, technical equipment and refurbishment needs. The infrastructure was evaluated from both a sports and an economic perspective. A complementary international best-practice review highlighted which arena concepts and operating models are economically and sustainably viable in the long run.
Result and Impact
The analysis provided a comprehensive basis for decision-making on the future development of ice sports facilities in Lower Austria. In total, 31 ice sports locations across the province were analysed. The findings showed that a large share of infrastructure consists of outdoor facilities, while enclosed indoor arenas are comparatively rare.
The study also identified refurbishment requirements of around EUR 9.4 million for existing facilities, especially for cooling systems and ice surfaces. At the same time, it showed in which regions investments would generate the highest benefit for clubs and grassroots sports.
By combining infrastructure analysis, demand modelling and international benchmarking, the project created the first complete picture of ice sports infrastructure in the province. Lower Austria now has a robust foundation to plan future investments strategically, modernise facilities in a targeted way and strengthen ice sports over the long term.