New RSU sports centre – more opportunities for learning, training and competition

Construction of the new Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) sports centre at 3 Cigoriņu iela, Pārdaugava, is nearing completion. The modernised and expanded sports facility will become a significant addition to the University's infrastructure, supporting the learning process, sports teams, research, academic staff and all employees wishing to engage in physical activity. Covering a total area of 3,627 m², the building is designed to replace outdated facilities with a modern, multifunctional centre for sport, education and research. 

What will the new sports centre include? 

The new RSU sports centre will include a sports hall that meets international standards, featuring basketball and volleyball courts, a gym equipped with free weights, strength-training, cardio and functional training areas, gymnastics facilities and dedicated studios for Pilates and yoga, a multifunctional hall for a variety of sports activities and group events, and a research laboratory for measuring human physical and physiological parameters. The centre will also feature physiotherapy facilities, a medical room, administrative offices, changing rooms, showers and relaxation areas. 

Particular attention has been paid to accessibility. The building will include a lift, accessible sanitary facilities, universal design solutions, as well as parking spaces for bicycles and electric personal mobility vehicles. 

Benefits for RSU students and sports teams 

According to Laura Ritova, Head of the RSU Sports Club, the RSU sports centre will open its doors this autumn. 

The new, state-of-the-art sports centre will provide extensive opportunities for RSU students to become actively involved in university sports. 

Importantly, the sports hall and gymnastics facilities will enable RSU Latvian Academy of Sport Education (RSU LASE) students to undertake most of their studies on site. 

Laura particularly highlights the benefits for RSU sports teams, which will finally be able to train and host home matches in their own sports centre. For the athletes, this is a long-awaited milestone that will strengthen the sense of community while creating opportunities for high-level training and the organisation of competitions in one location. 

The official opening of the sports centre is scheduled for 9 September, while the formal handover of the building will take place throughout August. Laura is confident that the facility's convenient and accessible location will encourage greater student participation in sports activities and stronger support for RSU teams. 

Construction progress and infrastructure development 

Dainis Zemešs, Director of the RSU Infrastructure Department, explains that the new centre represents an important step towards consolidating RSU's sports infrastructure. The role of the sports facilities currently located at the RSU LASE premises on Brīvības iela is expected to gradually decrease, while sports infrastructure in the new centre in Torņakalns will be strengthened. The centre will also be managed using a digital tool that will facilitate booking and access to the sports facilities. 

Construction is progressing according to schedule, although the project has presented several challenges due to the site's exceptionally narrow layout. 

RSU has also acquired neighbouring plots of land, where further expansion of the sports facility is planned in the future. 

This future development is separate from the current project, which is scheduled to be completed and commissioned as planned. 

Dainis Zemešs notes that construction is a lengthy, multi-stage decision-making process. The first decisions concerning a sports facility of this scale date back to around 2019, when an in-depth assessment of the development potential of the Cigoriņu iela site began. The existing plot has now been utilised to its maximum potential – even beyond its full capacity – making full use of every opportunity for construction, sports equipment installation and the creation of sports fields. 

The dedicated work of the project team also deserves particular recognition. Key achievements included obtaining the arborist's assessment, securing permission for tree felling, receiving the building permit, and presenting the initial concept three times to the advisory boards of the municipal institutions. These essential preparatory steps ultimately made the construction of the sports centre possible.

The initial concept sketches were developed by project coordinator Arvīds Līkops. While the building's external appearance has evolved slightly, the functional layout of the premises and the overall site planning established in the original concept have remained unchanged.

Special recognition should also be given to the key members of the implementation team. Significant contributions were made by Nilss Rancāns, Head of the Strategic Development Projects Unit, Signija Santa, Sports Club Office Manager, together with numerous colleagues from the Infrastructure Department's technical and maintenance units, the Legal and Procurement Department, the IT Department, the Development and Projects Department, the Finance Department, and many others.

The existing plot on Cigoriņu iela has been utilised to its fullest extent – indeed beyond full capacity – making maximum use of every opportunity for construction, installation of sports equipment and the creation of sports fields. The building design was completed in April 2024, the procurement procedure began in June, and construction commenced in December 2024. The official merger of the LASE with RSU took effect on 1 July 2024. By the time the merger process and its implications for sports infrastructure had become fully clear, the sports centre project had already reached a stage where substantial changes were no longer feasible without jeopardising the implementation of the approved project plans. 

Funding, construction works and project partners 

The total cost of the project is nearly 11.5 million euros. Funding is provided by RSU together with co-financing from the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility. On 16 April 2025, a time capsule was laid in the facility, symbolically marking the next stage of construction. Prior to this, dismantling and reconstruction works had begun, including the demolition of old infrastructure, while construction work has been actively underway since the first quarter of 2025. 

The project involves the following partners: SIA Būvdizains, SIA BLV, SIA Selva Būve, SIA RKF, SIA RANTZOWS SPORT, SIA Omnigym Latvia, SIA G Kolizejs, UAB Baltic BIM Management and SIA Biroteh. 

The new RSU sports centre at Cigoriņu iela will become a major infrastructure hub, bringing together education, sport, research, team training and competitions under one roof.