Donbass Arena

Donbass Arena or Donbas Arena (Ukrainian: Донба́с Аре́на [donˈbɑs ɑˈrɛnɑ], Russian: Донба́сc Аре́на) is a stadium with a natural grass pitch in Donetsk, Ukraine that opened on 29 August 2009. The facility is located in the center of the city, in the Lenin Comsomol park. With a capacity of 52,518 spectators, the Stadium hosts FC Shakhtar Donetsk matches and hosted some matches of Euro 2012. It is also one of the popular nightlife spots in Donetsk.

The initial estimated cost of the project was USD 250m. USD 30m has been allocated to set up a recreational park around the Stadium. The final cost of the project will reach USD 400m.[2][3]

The name of the stadium represents the shortened name for the Donets basin industrial region, hence - Donbas, however the official name in English spells after the Russian orthography.

Contents

 * 1 Construction and design
 * 2 Opening
 * 3 UEFA Euro 2012 matches
 * 4 Other uses
 * 5 Facts
 * 6 See also
 * 7 References
 * 8 External links

Construction and design
Construction site in August 2007

Construction began in 2006. The general contractor was a Turkish company ENKA. The Stadium was completed and opened in 2009. About 1600 specialists, mainly Turkish, were involved in the construction.

Donbass Arena was designed by ArupSport, who also designed the City of Manchester Stadium (Manchester, England), Allianz Arena (Munich, Germany) and the Beijing National Stadium (Beijing, China). The soaring roof effect makes the Stadium resemble a flying saucer. The stadium has an oval shape and a glazed façade and is located near Regional Sport Complex Olimpiyskiy. The roof of the stadium slopes from north to south matching the landscape and contributing to the natural lighting and airing of the pitch. The external lighting makes the Stadium shine at night.

Opening
The Donbass Arena was completed ahead of schedule, but the grand opening was delayed until 29 August 2009 to coincide with the Ukrainian holiday of Miners Day, as well as Donetsk City day. Donetsk is in the Donbass region, a mining region, and the date was chosen for its symbolism. The prime tenants of the facility are named Shakhtar Donetsk ("Donetsk Coal Miners").

American Pop/R&B singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles performed a show from her I Am... Tour on the opening night of the new stadium. It was Knowles' first performance in Ukraine.[4] Beyoncé performed her famous hit Halo to honour the memory of Michael Jackson, who would have had his birthday on that day.

Many state officials attended the show designed by K-events Filmmaster Group. The opening ceremony was awarded as Event of the Year at the Stadium Business Awards on June 18, 2010 in Dublin.

Shakhtar Donetsk's first match at the stadium was a 4–0 victory in a Ukrainian Premier League 2009–10 Round 8 fixture on 27 September 2009 against FC Obolon Kyiv.[5] The first international game took place on November 18, 2009 against Greece, which Ukraine lost 0-1 failing to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

UEFA Euro 2012 matches
Donbass Arena was included in the official bidding project submitted by Poland and Ukraine for hosting UEFA Euro 2012. The stadium was one of the venues for the UEFA Euro 2012. The stadium hosted group D stage games and one quarter-final and one semi-final game (with the other matches in that group played at Kiev Olympic Stadium). Unlike most new stadiums being built in Poland and Ukraine, Donbass Arena was not specifically built for the tournament.

The following matches were played at the stadium during the UEFA Euro 2012:

Other uses
Merchandise in the Shakhtar shop

Shakhtar Ultras in the stadium

The project of new stadium "Donbass Arena" was conceived long before Ukraine was named as co-host of Euro 2012. The owner considered the possibility of daily use of the arena. "Donbass Arena" includes three restaurants, a lounge-bar, a fan cafe, fast-food outlets, retail outlets, a fitness center, corporate boxes and first aid rooms. The stadium also provides facilities for corporate events - presentations, press conferences, celebrations and concerts. Stadium tours are available which include an examination of the unique features of Donbass Arena, a visit to the footballers’ rooms and FC Shakhtar Museum and a visit to the FC Shakhtar brand shop for souvenirs.

On 20 May 2014 the stadium hosted a small "Peace March" against the violence of the 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.[6]

Facts

 * 7,668 m2 (82,538 sq ft) natural turf will be used with 2,201 m2 (23,691 sq ft) synthetic turf
 * The total area of the construction site (including mobilization areas) is 254,907 m²
 * The land (including pitch), where the Stadium is located, is 46,780 m²
 * The height of the new stadium is 54m from pitch level to the top of the roof.
 * There are 227 lavatories with 471 toilets and 333 wash basins.
 * Over 120,000 m³ of concrete were poured during construction of the Stadium
 * Approximately 4,300 tonnes of steel were used for construction
 * Approximately 3,800 tonnes of steel were used for the roof structure.
 * Total glazing area is approximately 24,000 m²
 * The total area of the tiers is approximately 70,000 m²
 * The size of the football field is 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)