Bielefelder Alm

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Bielefelder Alm
nickname =


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

seating_capacity =
26,601

dimensions =
?

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. Formerly named Stadion Alm, it is currently known as Schüco Arena due to a sponsorship deal.

History

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" ( _en. 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 rebuilt and then the West Stand, bringing capacity to 22,512. In 1999 the South Stand was rebuilt increasing capacity to 26,601, and in June 2007 the capacity reached 28,008 following completion of the East Stand.

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. Stadium parking is provided at Bielefeld University.

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 Bielefelder Alm]
*{http://www.fussballtempel.net/uefa/GER/Alm.html Bielefelder Alm at Football Temple]