TheGdańsk Stadium(Polish:Stadion Gdańsk), known for sponsorship reasons as thePolsat Plus Arena Gdańsksince May 2021,[2]is afootballstadiuminGdańsk,Pomeranian Voivodeship,Poland.It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium ofLechia Gdańsk,which competes in theEkstraklasa.The stadium is located at the 1 Pokoleń Lechii Gdańsk Street (English:Generations of Lechia Gdańsk) in the northern part of the city (Letnicadistrict).[3]The total capacity is 41,620 spectators, all seated and roofed. The stadium is the second largest arena inEkstraklasaand the third largest in the country (after theStadion Narodowyand theStadion Śląski).[4]
Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk | |
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| Full name | Stadion Gdańsk |
|---|---|
| Former names | Baltic Arena (during construction) PGE Arena Gdańsk (2010–2015) Arena Gdańsk (UEFA Euro 2012) Stadion w Gdańsku Letnicy (2015) Stadion Energa Gdańsk (2015–2020) Stadion w Gdańsku Letnicy (2020–2021) Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk (2021–present) |
| Location | ul. Pokoleń Lechii Gdańsk 1, 80-560Gdańsk,Poland |
| Coordinates | 54°23′24″N18°38′25″E/ 54.39000°N 18.64028°E |
| Owner | City of Gdańsk |
| Operator | Arena Gdańsk Operator Sp. z o.o. |
| Capacity | 41,620 |
| Record attendance | 52,500 (Ed Sheeran-The +–=÷× Tour,12 & July 2024) |
| Field size | 105 × 68 metres |
| Surface | Field (Grass) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2008 |
| Built | 2008–2011 |
| Opened | 14 August 2011 |
| Construction cost | PLN zł863 million[1] EUR €204 million |
| Architect | RKW Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky |
| Project manager | Krzysztof Czarnecki |
| Structural engineer | Bollinger+Grohmann |
| Tenants | |
| Lechia Gdańsk(2011–present) Poland national football team(selected matches)
| |
| Website | |
| polsatplusarenagdansk.pl | |
Construction of the stadium started in 2008 and was completed mid-2011.[5]The opening match was between Lechia Gdańsk and Cracovia and ended with 1–1 draw.[6]Its first international match was betweenPolandandGermany,took place on 6 September 2011 and ended 2–2. The match was relocated fromWarsawsince theStadion Narodowywas not ready. It has been used by Lechia Gdańsk since 'the White-and-Green' relocated there from theGdańsk Sports Center Stadium.
The stadium was also one of the designated venues for the finals ofUEFA Euro 2012.It hosted four matches during the tournament; three matches in Group C and one quarter-final match were played there.[7]It was originally scheduled to host the2020 UEFA Europa League Final,[8]however following theCOVID-19 pandemic in Europethe final was postponed and later rescheduled to August at theRheinEnergieStadioninGermanybehind closed doors; Gdańsk hosted the2021 finalinstead.[9]Villarrealwon the match, defeatingManchester United11–10 on the penalty shootout after the game ended 1-1.
Stadium characteristics
editOverall
edit
The stadium measures some 236 metres long, 203 metres wide and 45 metres high.
The arena's exterior is designed to resembleamberwhich has long been extracted on theBalticcoast. Whole roof construction is based on 82 girders. Roof structure has a total area of 44 000 m2.The facade and the roof are covered with 18 000 plates ofpolycarbonatemultiwall sheet, in 6 shades, with a total area of 4.5 hectares. Two logos (placed on the western and eastern side of the stadium), are made inLED technology,with a height of 8 meters and length of 35 meters.[10]
The pitch has dimensions of 105x68 meters, and its distance from the grandstand is 10.5 m behind the goals, and 8.5 m from the sidelines.[11]The grandstands under the standards of FIFA and UEFA are covered, the center which is hovering over the field however will be uncovered. The issue of installing a sliding roof was considered, but the idea was abandoned due to costs and limited time to complete the construction. Remaining space is reserved for the other participants of the event (staff, etc.). The stadium meets the criteria forUEFA Category 4.
Capacity
editStadium capacity is 43,615 seats during league matches. However the total number of seats (gross) is approximately 44,000. During theUEFA European Football Championshipin 2012 capacity was reduced to approximately 40 000 seats.[12]
At the stadium there are 40 boxes behind glass where full catering is provided (so-called sky-boxes). Eight of them have an area of 60 m2(646 ft2) and the remaining 32 have an area of 30 m2(323 ft2).[11]In addition to the sky-boxes, stadium offers 1383 seats of higher standard (VIP places) for the more affluent guests. Each of them is equipped with a comfortable seat and located just below the sky-boxes. Both sky-boxes and VIP places have a separate entrance with dedicated foyer.[13]
The seats were provided byPolishcompanyForum Seatingbelonging to theNowy Styl Grouplocated inKrosno.[14]Moreover, the stadium has 50 extra seats for disabled persons.
Name
editIn December 2009, the stadium's name was purchased by thePolish Energy Group(PGE) for 35 millionzłoty(about 8.5 millioneuro) for a duration of five years.[15]The city of Gdańsk sold the naming rights in order to cover some of the costs of its construction. The only stipulation was that the name must include the word "Arena". The oil companyLotosand power company PGE were the final competitors for the sponsorship contract which also includes the display of the firm's logo in at least two locations at the top of the stadium, along with internal advertisements. The stadium was originally known as theBaltic Arena.The contract with PGE ended, however, on 30 September 2015, after PGE chose not to renew the contract.[16]On 9 November 2015Energa SAwas revealed as the new stadium's sponsor until 2020. On 7 November 2020, The management board of Arena Gdańsk Operator sp.z o.o. announced the end of cooperation with Energa SA.[17]From 21 May 2021, the stadium is calledPolsat Plus Arena Gdańsk.The city's contract with the media and telecommunications companiesPolsatandPluswas concluded for 6 years.[2]
- Baltic Arena(during construction)
- PGE Arena Gdańsk(July 2010 – October 2015)
- Arena Gdańsk(UEFA Euro 2012)
- Stadion w Gdańsku Letnicy(October 2015 – November 2015)
- Stadion Energa Gdańsk(November 2015 – November 2020)
- Stadion w Gdańsku Letnicy(November 2020 – May 2021)
- Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk(May 2021 –present)
T29 Sports Bar & Restaurant
editOn 20 January 2012 after several months of preparation, a special club bar named T29 Sports Bar & Restaurant was opened to the public. The venue's name is in reference tothe previous Lechia Gdańsk stadium'saddress:Traugutta29. Its interior design draws on events from the club's history. The most distinctive parts of the design are twomuralslocated opposite to each other on the sidewalls of the venue. Both paintings show an artistic interpretation of the panorama of the old Lechia stadium. T29 Sports Bar & Restaurant is situated in the north part of the stadium, just below the visiting team's supporters sector. The pub is a two-level construction with the total area of 800m2. There are 39' TV sets located on both stories of the venue. Every match of Lechia Gdańsk and other important sports events (incl. matches of PolishEkstraklasa) are broadcast there every day. T29 Sports Bar & Restaurant is open for the visitors 7 days a week.[18][19]
Construction history
edit
The stadium was built specifically for the UEFA European Football Championship, which was held in 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. The first conceptual design of the stadium has been presented by the city of Gdańsk before the tournament host's choice.[20]On 31 January 2008 architect who had designed the stadium was selected. It was a company of Rhode-Kellermann-Wawrowsky fromDüsseldorf,which designed such stadiums likeVeltins-ArenainGelsenkirchenand theAWD-ArenainHannover.[21]First part of construction documents were consisted of 92 volumes and the second one included next 137 volumes. Stadium specialistHPP Architectsfrom Düsseldorf also contributed to the design development.
On 2 April 2008, work began on preparing the ground for the construction of the stadium, including liquidation of allotments, felling of trees and shrubs.[22]On 15 December 2008 work started on the ground exchange and density of land for the construction of the stadium.[11]
The official opening of the offers from companies willing to build new stadium took place on 25 March 2009. The offers prices varies form about 522 mln zł to 635 mln zł. Two days later a contract with the company who introduced the cheapest offer was signed. It was a consortium of companies: Hydrobudowa Polska S.A, Hydrobudowa 9, Alpine Bau Deutschland AG Berlin, Alpine Bau GmbH Austria, Alpine Construction Polska Sp. z o.o.[23]
On 28 May 2009 when the main construction began.[24]In mid-July the cornerstone was laid.[25]Within the next year main steel and concrete structure was completed and the ceremony of topping out took place at 24 July 2010.
The original date of completion of the stadium was the end of 2010. On 9 June 2011, a match between the national teams of Poland andFrancewas planned.[26]Due to security reasons, the match was moved to Warsaw.[27]
The stadium was opened at 19 July 2011.[28]The first official football event on PGE Arena Gdańsk, as the Gdańsk City Stadium was then known, took place on 14 August 2011. The match betweenLechia GdańskandKS Cracoviaended in 1:1 draw and the first goalscorer at the new stadium wasFred Benson.[29]
Location & transport
editThe stadium is located in the northern part of the city, across theMartwa WisłaRiver, in theLetnicadistrict. The main entrance is located on the side of newly createdul. Pokoleń Lechii Gdańsk(Generations of Lechia Gdańsk street).
Main roads that leading to the stadium are theul. Marynarki Polskiej( "Polish Navy street" ) and theul. Uczniowska.Getting to the stadium is easily possible by public transport, mainly due to tram lines # 7, 10 leading to tram stopsMostostalandStadionor bus lines # 158, 283 leading to the bus stopStadion.Selected courses of bus line # 158 stop along Generations of Lechia Gdańsk street on bus stopsAmberExpoandWęzeł Harfa.In match days there are additional tram courses for the football fans.
Moreover, on every match day, special free of chargeSKM (Fast Urban Railway)line leads fromGdańsk Główny railway stationtoGdańsk Stadium Expo stationlocated near the stadium. This line was modernized especially for theUEFA European Football Championship in 2012.It has been used for the first time, before and after the Ekstraklasa match between Lechia Gdańsk andLegia Warszawawhich took place on May 3, 2012. It is worth noting that this line is also available for passengers in the days when the trade exhibition takes place in the new headquarters of the MTG SA Gdańsk International Fair Co. located next to the Gdańsk City Stadium.[30]
Euro 2012 matches
editThe stadium was one of the venues for theUEFA Euro 2012.The three group C matches involvingSpainwere played there (with the other matches in that group played atCity Stadium,Poznań), as well as one quarterfinal. During the finals, it was known as the 'Arena Gdansk' for sponsorship reasons.
The following matches were played at the stadium during the UEFA Euro 2012:
| Date | Time (CEST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 June 2012 | 18:00 |  Spain |
1–1 |  Italy |
Group C | Antonio Di Natale61' Cesc Fàbregas64' |
| 14 June 2012 | 20:45 | 4–0 |  Republic of Ireland |
Fernando Torres4',70' David Silva49' Cesc Fàbregas83' | ||
| 18 June 2012 | 20:45 |  Croatia |
0–1 | Spain |
Jesús Navas88' | |
| 22 June 2012 | 20:45 |  Germany |
4–2 |  Greece |
Quarter-finals | Philipp Lahm39' Georgios Samaras55' Sami Khedira61' Miroslav Klose68' Marco Reus74' Dimitris Salpingidis89' (pen.) |
Poland national football team matches
editSo far,Poland national football teamhas played 10 matches in the arena. The stadium's opening match was due to be played against theFrenchon 9 June 2011, but was moved to theStadion Wojska Polskiego,as the stadium wasn't fully prepared. Instead, the match againstGermany,which had been scheduled to be played at theStadion Narodowywas moved to Gdansk (due to the fact that the stadium inWarsawwasn't complete). In the first game for stakes played in Gdańsk, Poland drew 0–0 with Italy on 11 October 2020.
| Nr | Competition | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance | Scorers for Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friendly | 6 September 2011 | Germany
|
2–2 | 38,000 | Robert Lewandowski,Jakub Błaszczykowski |
| 2 | 14 November 2012 |  Uruguay
|
1–3 | 39,460 | Ludovic Obraniak | |
| 3 | 14 August 2013 |  Denmark
|
3–2 | 34,952 | Mateusz Klich,Waldemar Sobota,Piotr Zieliński | |
| 4 | 6 June 2014 |  Lithuania
|
2–1 | 33,074 | Arkadiusz Milik,Robert Lewandowski | |
| 5 | 16 June 2015 | Greece
|
0–0 | 37,192 | ––– | |
| 6 | 1 June 2016 |  Netherlands
|
1–2 | 40,392 | Artur Jędrzejczyk | |
| 7 | 13 November 2017 |  Mexico
|
0–1 | 32,736 | ––– | |
| 8 | 15 November 2018 |  Czech Republic
|
0–1 | 23,851 | ––– | |
| 9 | 7 October 2020 |  Finland
|
5–1 | 3,000[31] | Kamil Grosicki(3),Krzysztof Piątek,Arkadiusz Milik | |
| 10 | 2020-21 UEFA Nations League | 11 October 2020 | Italy
|
0–0 | 7,000[32] | ––– |
Concerts
edit| Concerts at Gdańsk City Stadium | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Artist | Tour | Attendance |
| 27 September 2012 | Jennifer Lopez | Dance Again World Tour | 34,068 |
| 19 June 2013 | Bon Jovi | Because We Can | 31,167 |
| 19 August 2014 | Justin Timberlake | The 20/20 Experience World Tour | 40,794[33] |
| 15 July 2016 | Avicii,Felix Jaehn, Modestep,Tom Swoon, Warson, Widenski, & Mafia Mike |
Music Power Explosion | 24,000 |
| 20 June 2017 | Guns N' Roses | Not in This Lifetime... Tour | 40,571 |
| 4 June 2022 | Dawid Podsiadło | 40,000 | |
| 12–13 July 2024 | Ed Sheeran | +–=÷× Tour | |
Religious conventions
edit| Religious conventions at Gdańsk City Stadium | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Religious denomination | Title | Attendance |
| August 9–11, 2019 | Jehovah's Witnesses | “Love Never Fails”! Convention | 14,410[34][35][36] |
Controversies
editSeat colour
editAlong initial design by Rhode-Kellermann-Wawrowsky, all seats were to create a mosaic of yellow and orange in various tones, which was to match the 'amber' facades and roof. However, after the final proposed layout was presented, Lechia Gdansk supporters launched a protest to block the move. As they argued, the stadium should be associated with their club's colours, not those of the arch-rivalArka Gdynia,who aren't tenants at the stadium. In a move to satisfy these claims, architects were asked to rethink the colors and came up with various tones of green. This was accepted by supporters and stayed intact with the overall concept as amber can also be greenish (though not usually found on Polish shores, more common in the Caribbean).[37]Later, in October 2012, some seats were also painted white to read "LECHIA GDAŃSK" in order to allow fans to identify with the venue more.
Ban on bananas
editIn July 2012, the stadium became Poland's only (and probably one of very few worldwide) to have bananas on the list of items prohibited inside.[38]Decision was made by Lechia Gdansk safety manager in order to prevent racist incidents. In April of that year, two black players of Lechia had bananas thrown at them.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Euro 2012: Ile naprawdę kosztowały polskie stadiony?"(in Polish).
- ^ab"Stadion w Gdańsku zmieni nazwę. Grupa Polsat nowym sponsorem".Business Insider Polska.Business Insider Polska.Retrieved21 May2021.
- ^"Nazwa ulicy przy PGE Arenie już oficjalna".neo.trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk (Stadion Gdańsk) – StadiumDB.com".stadiumdb.com.Retrieved25 February2024.
- ^"PGE Arena Gdańsk".stadiony.net.stadiony.net.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Remis na otwarcie Areny".giti.90minut.pl.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Matches - Group Stage".Union of European Football Associations.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Gdansk to host 2020 UEFA Europa League final".Union of European Football Associations. 24 May 2018.Retrieved28 September2019.
- ^"UEFA competitions to resume in August".UEFA.com.Union of European Football Associations. 17 June 2020.Retrieved17 June2020.
- ^"Gdańsk: Budowa PGE Areny przedłuży się".PAP.Dziennik Bałtycki. Archived fromthe originalon 28 July 2012.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^abc"Stadion w liczbach".pgearena.gdansk.pl. Archived fromthe originalon 29 November 2011.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Rok 2011 pod znakiem nowych stadionów".Wirtualna Polska.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"VIP obejrzy mecz w luksusie".trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Pierwsze krzesełka na gdańskiej arenie".WP.www.2012.org.pl. Archived fromthe originalon 28 August 2011.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Stadion w Letnicy to już oficjalnie PGE Arena Gdańsk".Marzena Klimowicz-Sikorska.trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved15 November2011.
- ^"Gdańsk: Już bez PGE, wkrótce demontaż logo".stadiony.net.Retrieved1 October2015.
- ^"Oświadczenie w sprawie zakończenia współpracy z Energa SA - 06.11.2020 R".Archived fromthe originalon 30 March 2022.Retrieved7 November2020.
- ^"Gdańsk: T29 Bar na PGE Arenie otwarty. Atrakcja dla kibiców Lechii i nie tylko. Jak wygląda w środku?".gdansk.naszemiasto.pl.Retrieved15 March2013.
- ^"T29 Sports Bar & Restaurant".pgearena.gdansk.pl.Retrieved15 March2013.
- ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 3 May 2012.Retrieved12 June2012.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"Polacy i Niemcy zaprojektują Baltic Arenę".Jacek Stańczyk.trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Pierwsza koparka na budowie Balic Areny".trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Znamy wykonawcę stadionu Balic Arena".wiadomosci24.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Ruszyła budowa gdańskiej areny".2012.org.pl. Archived fromthe originalon 20 March 2011.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Kamień węgielny już jest".trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Polska-Francja: będzie drogo. Rusza sprzedaż biletów".neo.trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Mecz Polska – Francja jednak w Warszawie".trojmiasto.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"PGE Arena oddana do użytku".wp.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Remis na otwarcie Areny".giti.90minut.pl.Retrieved1 June2012.
- ^"Szybką koleją na stadion w Letnicy".gdansk.pl. Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2012.Retrieved21 April2013.
- ^"Wtrącił trzy grosze".90minut (RSSSF)(in Polish).
- ^"Italy - International Matches 2020-2029".RSSSF.
- ^"Billboard Boxscore:: Current Scores".Billboard.Prometheus Global Media.8 October 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 11 October 2014.Retrieved24 November2014.
- ^"Kongres regionalny Świadków Jehowy 2019".trojmiasto.pl.1 August 2019.
- ^"Kongres Świadków Jehowy na Stadionie Energa Gdańsk".stadionenerga.pl.1 August 2019. Archived fromthe originalon 9 August 2019.Retrieved26 May2021.
- ^"Tysiące osób na Stadionie Energa Gdańsk. To nie mecz, a... Kongres Świadków Jehowy".se.pl.8 August 2019.
- ^"Jest decyzja w sprawie krzesełek Balic Areny".trojmiasto.gazeta.pl.Retrieved20 April2013.
- ^"Poland's Euro 2012 venue bans bananas".stadiumdb.com.Retrieved20 April2013.
External links
edit
- Stadion Gdańsk - official site(in Polish)
- Official Gdańsk city preparation website(in Polish)
- Official Gdańsk city coordinating company websiteArchived7 September 2011 at theWayback Machine
- PGE Arena Gdańsk presentation at StadiumDB.com