Grolsch Veste

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Grolsch Veste
nickname =


location = Enschede,
Netherlands
broke_ground = January 31, 1997
opened = May 10, 1998
expanded = September 2008
closed =
demolished =
owner = FC Twente
operator = FC Twente
surface = Grass
construction_cost = 33 million guilders
50 million euro (1st expansion)
architect = IAA Architecten
structural engineer = VolkerWessels
services engineer = Matrix Installatie Adviseurs
former_names = Arke Stadion (1998-2008)
tenants = FC Twente (Eredivisie)
1998 - present
seating_capacity = 24,244

The Grolsch Veste (Grolsch Fortress, previously known as the Arke Stadion) is the official stadium of football club FC Twente. It is located in Enschede, Netherlands, at the Business & Science Park, near the University of Twente. The stadium has an all-seated capacity of 24,244 with a standard pitch heating system and has a promenade instead of fences around the stands.

The Grolsch Veste replaced the old Diekman Stadion as FC Twente's home ground on 22 March 1998. Plans had been afoot to expand and to renovate the old and now demolished Diekman Stadion, however, with a growing fan capacity and with arguments that the location of the Diekman stadium was not strategic enough, the idea was conceived to build a new arena for the FC Twente fans. The Diekman ground had also faced problems with its seating plans as a result of the FIFA regulations which imposes a necessity to construct a seating tribune behind each goal post.

The cost of the construction was estimated to be around 33 million guilders and took fourteen months to complete, with its foundation stone having been laid on 31 January 1997. Due to the tight budget available, the layout of the stadium was constructed in such a way that future expansions can be possible without the necessity to tear down entire tribunes.

The first match played at the stadium was a historic 3-0 victory by the home team against PSV on 10 May 1998 in an Eredivisie match.

On 1st October 2006, the stadium got updated with two big flatscreen video-walls.

In May 2008 it has been announced that the Arke Stadion will be renamed to Grolsch Veste (Grolsch Fortress) with beer brewery Grolsch as sponsor. The brewery is located in the clubs hometown Enschede. The name "Veste" (fortress) is a reference to Groenlo, a former fortified town that was often besieged and where Grolsch was first brewn.

Expansion

In 2006 plans were unfolded to increase the stadium capacity to 24,353 seats. The expansion started in January 2008 and was completed in September 2008, just on time for the start of the new season. There are also serious ideas to expand the stadium even further to 40,000 spectators in 2011.

External links

[http://www.thuisbijfctwente.nl/ Official website] (Including webcam)