The Novska Gaming Center, the first of its kind in Europe, is set to be constructed with funding from the new European Just Transition Fund. The project is being led by the Public Institution Regional Coordinator of Sisac-Moslavina County, with partners including Sisac-Moslavina County, Development Agency SIMORA, and the City of Novska.
The first phase of construction will be funded non-refundable with 26.3 million euros, bringing the total financing for the entire project to 100 million euros. The gaming center will be built on an eight-hectare plot in the Enterprise Zone of the City of Novska and will feature a sports hall and swimming pool, dormitory for 250 students, accelerator with VR studio, incubator with hall for testing video games, and other related facilities.
The centerpiece of the center will be an e-sports arena with 2,500 seats for spectators and gaming competitions. In the future, the gaming campus will offer a five-year higher education program for 50 students per year as well as a high school program for 24 students. Construction is set to begin now and is expected to be completed by 2027.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Minister of Labor and Social Policy Marin Pileti were present at a signing ceremony for the financing agreement. The Prime Minister highlighted Croatia’s resilience and adaptability in facing challenges while Minister Erlić emphasized the significance of this project in Croatia’s move towards digital transformation and industries of the future.
Novska Mayor Marija Kušmiš also expressed her excitement about the positive impact this project will have on her community, including decreased unemployment rates since 2018. This initiative represents a new era of development for Novska and Sisak-Moslavina County as they align their goals with those of Just Transition Fund to transition traditional industries into industries that are better suited to our future needs.
