SchücoArena

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = SchücoArena
nickname = Bielefelder Alm


caption = View of the SchücoArena from the Southwest
fullname = SchücoArena
location = Bielefeld, Germany
built = 1957
opened = 1926
renovated = 1996 - 2008 | owner = Arminia Bielefeld
operator =
construction_cost = ?
architect =
former_names = Bielefelder Alm
tenants =
Arminia Bielefeld (Fußball-Bundesliga)

seating_capacity =
28,008

dimensions =
105 x 68 meter

The SchücoArena (old name: Stadion Alm / Bielefelder Alm) is a football stadium in Bielefeld, Germany. The stadium, which has a capacity of 26 601, is owned by the football club Arminia Bielefeld and mostly used for the club's matches.

The football ground was opened in 1926, with land acquired from a farmer. The stadium got its former name ("Alm") because it did not look like a football stadium in the first years and so one of Arminia's members said that just a few cows were missing in order to look like an "Alm" (German for "alpine grassland"). In 1957 it got its grass cover and the first grandstands were constructed.

Until 1971 the stands were all terraced, but with Arminia Bielefeld winning promotion to the Bundesliga, the first stand with seating was constructed. By 1978 3 new stands had been built and the stadiums capacity was 34,222.

By 1985 serious structural problems had reduced the capacity to 18,500, and later to 15,000.

Rebuilding

In 1996 rebuilding work began, first the north stand was rebuild and then the west stand. Capacity was now 22,512. In 1999 the South Stand was rebuilt increasing capacity to 26,601. Since June 2007 the east stand was rebuilt giving a capacity of 28,008.

Transport

The stadium is well serviced by public transport. The Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof is only a few minutes away using line 4 (The red line) of the Bielefeld Stadtbahn. For fans driving to the stadium, parking is available at Bielefeld University, which is also located on line 4 of the Stadtbahn

External links

* [http://www.arminia-bielefeld.de/index.php?id=888 Collection of historical staidium photos at the Arminia Bielefeld website]
* [http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/germany/nordrhein_westfalen/bielefeld_alm.shtml World Stadium guide to Schüco Arena]
* [http://www.fussballtempel.net/uefa/GER/Alm.html Schüco Arena at Football Temple]