Rout Lëns: a future exhibition and sports convention center
IKO Real Estate commits to more human-centered urban planning through sport
Sport is more than just physical activity: it is a social force, a pillar of public health, an educational lever, and a powerful tool for transforming territories. At a time when cities must reconcile urban density, quality of life, and sustainable development, integrating sport into urban projects has become a necessity. At IKO Real Estate, this conviction drives our actions. At Rout Lëns, in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and the City of Esch-sur-Alzette, we bring this vision to life with the creation of a Sports Exhibition and Convention Center of high cultural, social, and architectural value.
Sport: a driver of social cohesion and well-being
For several years, IKO has been committed to supporting sport as a catalyst for social bonds and local community life.
This commitment takes shape in concrete actions:
- Sponsorship of the Lux League FRL competition: IKO supports this federation for its social, educational, and inclusive role. Rugby is an intergenerational, mixed sport, deeply rooted in the territory and carrying values of respect, self-improvement, and mutual support.
- Sponsorship of the Kulturlaf: IKO supports this emblematic race that combines sports practice, urban discovery, and culture. This popular event fosters access to sport for all and embodies the values of sharing, dynamism, and conviviality.
- Sponsorship of Handball Esch: IKO supports this emblematic Esch-sur-Alzette club for its local commitment, its role in training young people, and its contribution to the sporting dynamism of the region.
- Partnership with Howald Tennis: IKO supports this club for its unifying role within the local community. This partnership reflects values of conviviality, proximity, and sharing, while reaffirming IKO’s territorial roots.
IKO thus extends its action beyond construction by supporting sports and community initiatives that energize neighborhoods and reinforce social cohesion.
🎯 Why sport? Because it promotes health, solidarity, and social diversity, making cities more human.
🏗️ Rout Lëns: an emblematic reconversion serving sport and culture
The Turbine Hall site, located in the heart of the Rout Lëns industrial wasteland in Esch-sur-Alzette, is about to undergo a major transformation. This historic location, marked by its steelmaking past, will host by 2029 a national sports museum, set up inside the former turbine hall. Spread over three levels with a total surface area of around 2,500 m², it will combine exhibition spaces, areas for knowledge-sharing, dialogue, and community gatherings, serving both sporting memory and the wider community.
This site, steeped in history with its former turbine halls and power stations, provides ideal conditions to host an innovative space dedicated to sports culture, collective memory, and intergenerational exchange.
Project objectives:
- Preservation and transmission of sporting heritage: The Museum will highlight the history of Luxembourgish sport through a permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions, showcasing major figures, core values of sport (fair play, team spirit, discipline), and its educational and social dimensions.
- Promotion of sporting activity and debate: As a forum, the Museum will host conferences, symposiums, and roundtables with experts and national and international federations.
- A gathering place for the sports community and beyond: The center will be open to clubs, federations, and public or private stakeholders for congresses, meetings, and festive events, reinforcing its local roots.
📅 Provisional timeline:
- Technical and architectural studies: 2024–2025
- Construction start: June/July 2026
- Completion: March/April 2028
- Public opening: early 2029
For more information: see the official press release from the Ministry of Sports
🏃🏻♂️Sport as a lever for more human-centered urban planning
Designing sustainable cities also means embedding sport as a driver of well-being and cohesion. IKO sees the integration of sport into neighborhoods as a catalyst for local life. At Rout Lëns, the project goes beyond construction alone:
- Proximity-based urban planning: the Exhibition Center is located less than 500 m from the future neighborhood’s housing, shops, schools, and public transport
- Soft mobility connections: integration of cycle paths, pedestrian connections, and landscaping of the surroundings
- Versatile spaces: in addition to exhibitions, the center will host sports and educational events, civic gatherings, and conferences
Together, let’s imagine the “Next Places” of sport
IKO Real Estate pursues a clear vision: to shape the living spaces of tomorrow into sustainable, inclusive environments where people feel good. By placing sport at the heart of the Rout Lëns project, we reaffirm our commitment to creating “Next Places” that combine memory, innovation, and social connection, in continuity with the spirit of Esch2022 – European Capital of Culture.