A public inquiry hearing in Vienna on 21 September laid bare the complex deal behind a much‑debated Sports‑Tech hub planned for the Wieselburg floodplain, 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of Vienna. Lawmakers and witnesses told the chamber that a state trust, Österreich Sport & Tech Trust (ÖSTT), agreed to buy and develop 42 hectares (104 acres) of municipal land for €112 million, with preferential loan terms and tax breaks that critics say effectively funnelled public value to Alpenstadt FC, the country's most successful club.
The hearing's bombshell
The committee heard for nearly six hours as councillors and auditors read contract extracts and grant agreements into the official record. Justina Babič, a Wieselburg municipal councillor who led opposition to the scheme, told MPs the planning consent included a clause that limited press and local‑group access to the new campus for two years after opening — a provision she said was non‑negotiable to the Trust.
"They treated our park like an asset box, not a place where children train," Babič said. Minister for Sport and Regional Development Karla Hohenberg defended the process in the chamber: "All approvals followed the law; the aim was to attract long‑term investment and jobs to Lower Austria."
Witnesses then delivered more pointed claims. Andrés Vela, a former procurement officer seconded to ÖSTT, told the inquiry he raised internal objections when loan guarantees were adjusted to reduce interest for parties linked to Alpenstadt FC's board. "I was instructed to clear the files and move on; I refused and lodged a formal note," Vela said, producing ledger extracts auditors cited in questioning.
They promised a centre for youth and jobs — instead I found clauses that shut us out.
Lovise Petersen‑Aas, local resident and coach
What auditors found
Forensic auditors called to the hearing painted a picture of rapid approvals and opaque payments. Micaela M. Colón, the lead auditor, told MPs that auditors traced €18 million in consultancy fees routed through three intermediary firms registered in two other EU states, while the Trust received a three‑year planning holiday that exempted it from key local charges.
"There is a thin paper trail where money flows thick," Colón said. She added that the Trust's business plan originally forecast 600 permanent jobs; an on‑site payroll inspection in July found 48 people directly employed and a further 32 on short contracts.
Alpenstadt FC has publicly denied impropriety. A club statement read at the hearing said the arrangements are aimed at expanding youth facilities and that any governance questions would be answered fully to protect investors' confidence. Club director Stefan Markbreit, who did not appear in person, is understood to hold non‑voting shares in the Trust under the original agreement.
Fans and federations react
Outside the parliament building, supporters and local campaigners staged a buoyant protest that mixed drums, scarves and raffle tables — an upbeat reminder that football culture here is also community development. Oluwunmi Elebiyo, a season‑ticket holder and organiser, said: "This is not just about money; it's about identity and the public commons."
The Austrian Football Confederation, contacted by the committee, said it would review its involvement in infrastructure partnerships and called the hearing's revelations "concerning." Valfrid Månsson, a regional councillor who sits on the committee, said MPs will consider emergency measures to suspend subsidies if irregularities are confirmed.
The inquiry also prompted a response from broadcasters. EuropaLive Media, which was named in documents as a prospective rights partner, said it would pursue full clarity over any contractual restrictions on coverage. A spokesperson called the clauses "anomalous in modern sports broadcasting practice."
Parliament promised a full interim report by 12 October and invited prosecutors to examine whether any laws on procurement or public subsidies were breached. Community groups in Wieselburg announced they will fundraise to refurbish local pitches regardless of the inquiry's outcome; Lina Andresen, who coordinates the campaign, said: "If the state won't act quickly, we'll rebuild what they sold."
