Legitimizing the Smart City Idea: The Case of the #Smarthalle

Many cities are pursuing the goal of becoming a smart city which has far-reaching consequences for the city and its stakeholders. A successful implementation of these smart city initiatives requires a broad legitimacy base. This poses a challenge for cities as creating legitimacy for new ideas is by no means easy. In this article, we explore how a city administration tries to influence the legitimacy of an idea like that of a smart city. Based on a case study about the #Smarthalle, a project of the city of St. Gallen different legitimization strategies are presented. The results show that legitimization efforts are primarily directed at citizens and administrative staff. The analysis reveals that creating a vision, making the idea tangible and mobilizing allies are key strategies for legitimizing smart city initiatives and related projects. onsequently, the #Smarthalle was designed as a place to exchange ideas, experience smart technologies and directly connect the administration and the citizens.