Parken Stadium

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Parken


UEFA
location = Øster Allé 50
DK-2100 København Ø
broke_ground = 1990
opened = 9 September 1992
renovated = 2009 (ongoing)cite web |url=http://www.berlingske.dk/kobenhavn/artikel:aid=912934 |title=Københavnsk multiarena i 2009 |accessdate=2007-06-28 |last=Dahl Caruso |first=Jesper |date=2007-06-28 |publisher=Berlingske Tidende |language=Danish ]
owner = Parken Sport & Entertainment
operator = Parken Sport & Entertainment
surface = Grass
construction_cost = 640,000,000 DKK
(85,300,000 €)
architect = Gert Andersson
tenants =
F.C. Copenhagen

Denmark
seating_capacity =
34,098 (allseater) [cite web |url=http://fck.dk/nyhedsvisning/?newsid=7383 |title=SuperBest tribune står klar medio 2009 |publisher=F.C. Copenhagen |accessdate = 2007-12-07 |date=2007-10-29 |language=Danish ]

("future: 38,000")
dimensions =
105 x 68 m (114.8 x 74.3 yds)

Parken Stadium (English: "the Park") is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro ("Inner Østerbro") district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990-1992. It currently has a capacity of 34,098 for football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Copenhagen and the Danish national football team.

Currently, the 51-year old D Stand (known as the Coca-Cola Stand for sponsorship reasons), at the northern end of the stadium, will be replaced by a modern structure. On 11 November 2006 chairman of Parken Sport & Entertainment, Flemming Østergaard, told about the good dialog with Copenhagen Municipality about the construction permit, and the possibility of building a multiarena at Parken [cite web |url=http://fck.dk/index.php?pageid=754&newsid=6175 |title=Arena- og tribunebyggeri i og ved PARKEN |date=2006-11-11 |last=Østergaard |first=Flemming |authorlink=Flemming Østergaard |publisher=F.C. Copenhagen |language=Danish ] . On 27 June 2007 it was announced that the new arena and stand will be ready in 2009, together with a new wall function in the stadium, to split the stadium in two halves, while the roof is over. The wall will be filled with air, which makes it soundproof. This will be used for handball, tennis and other sports.

The redevelopment of the northern end of the stadium will add new locker rooms, premium seating and a further 8,700 m² of office space, but lower the overall capacity to around 38,000 seats. During the construction phase only about 34,098 spectators will be able to see the national team play their 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Construction will take place over a 19-month period, starting in December 2007. [cite web |url=http://www.fck.dk/index.php?pageid=754&newsid=7383 |title=SuperBest tribune står klar medio 2009 |date=2007-10-29 |publisher=F.C. Copenhagen |language=Danish |accessdate=2007-10-29]

History

Parken was built on the site of former Denmark national stadium, Idrætsparken, from 1990 to 1992. The last national team match in Idrætsparken was a 0-2 Euro 1992 qualification loss to Yugoslavia on November 14 1990, and on September 9 1992 Parken was opened with a 1-2 defeat in a friendly game against Germany.

The stadium was rebuilt by investors Baltica Finans A/S in turn of the guarantee from the Danish Football Association, that all national matches would be played at Parken for 15 years. The re-construction, tore down and re-built three of the original four stands, cost 640 million Danish kroner.

In 1998, Baltica Finans sold the stadium to F.C. Copenhagen for 138 million DKK, and the club now owns both the stadium and the adjacent office buildings in the company of Parken Sport & Entertainment.

Parken was included in UEFA's list of in the fall of 1993, making Parken eligible for hosting the finals of the UEFA Cup as well as the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup. Being a 4-star stadium, Parken can not apply for the biggest European club game, the UEFA Champions League final, as that demands 50,000 seats.

On June 2 2007, Parken was the venue for the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier fan attack.

Notable matches

Concert venue

Parken is also used as a concert venue, and hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2001. As a direct consequence of this, and to make Parken a more useful venue in general, a retractable roof was applied to the existing structure.

Musicians like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Celine Dion, Tiesto, Depeche Mode,The Rolling Stones, U2, George Michael, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson have performed at Parken. Eminem was scheduled to perform at Parken in 2005, but he cancelled his Europe-tour. Robbie Williams has performed there several times, in 2006 he was the first artist to perform two concerts in a row at Parken. The biggest concert ever held in Parken was a performance by Michael Jackson on August 29, 1997, during his HIStory World Tour, with 50,000 tickets sold.

Once every year the TV network TV 2 Zulu organize a big concert, Zulu Rocks, and in 2006 The Black Eyed Peas, Pet Shop Boys, Kashmir, Pharrell and Mew performed.

ee also

*Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark

Notes

External links

* [http://www.parken.dk Official website]
* [http://www.copenhagen.com/sports/m_stadium.asp?Menu=Sports Tourist info from copenhagen.com]