Telenor Arena
Encyclopedia
Telenor Arena, sometimes referred to as Fornebu Arena, is a multi-use indoor arena
located at Fornebu
in Bærum
, outside Oslo
, Norway
. It serves primarily as a football stadium
for Norwegian Premier League
side Stabæk Fotball, but is also used as a concert venue. It has a capacity for 15,000 spectators for football and 23,000 for concerts, including 40 luxury boxes and club seating
for 1,200. The venue has a fixed roof and artificial turf
. The venue was opened ahead of the 2009 season as a replacement for Nadderud Stadion
. It cost 585 million Norwegian krone
(NOK) to build, of which NOK 300 million was for the sports venue.
During the 2000s, Nadderud was below standards for play in the top national league. Fornebu was at the time undergoing an urban redevelopment; after several years of negotiations and public grants, Stabæk secured a lot in 2004. Construction started in 2007. In 2010, a disagreement arose between the club and venue-owner Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen, with the latter demanding that the team leave the venue to allow for more event revenue. Telenor Arena has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
, as well as concerts for AC/DC
, Tina Turner
, Metallica
, Andrea Bocelli
and Iron Maiden
. Telenor
holds the naming rights
.
, a municipal multi-purpose stadium
at Bekkestua
. Following the club's rapid ascent from lower divisions to the top league during the first half of the 1990s, Nadderud became in need of upgrades, resulting in a new main grandstand opening in 1996. The stadium remained severely lacking adequate facilities for professional football, and fell short of increasing requirements from the Football Association of Norway
(NFF).
Originally, a redevelopment of Nadderud was proposed, but in 1999 Stabæk players launched the idea of building a new stadium at Fornebu, which became subject to an urban redevelopment project after the 1998 closing of Oslo Airport, Fornebu
. The initial proposal was named Blue Dream Arena, would have seating for 25,000 spectators, blue artificial turf and a retractable roof
. Other proposed amenities were movable seating
which would also allow the stadium to both host athletics and be configured as an intimate football stadium. The idea called for Bruce Springsteen
to hold a concert before the first match, which would be played against Barcelona
. Several of the initial concepts of the stadium were never materialized. International rules disallowed blue artificial turf; instead, the flooring in the boxes were made in a blue, artificial turf-inspired material. Also the idea of having a retractable roof was discarded, both because of technical difficulties and cost issues.
In May 2001, Oslo City Council voted to sell their properties at Fornebu to Fornebu Boligspar (FB), which again had agreements to sell a lot for the stadium to Stabæk. In November 2002, Borgarting Court of Appeal
concluded that Norrønafly had the right to continue leasing a hangar—located at the planned location of the venue—until 2014. In June 2003, Stabæk was in financial difficulties, and investor Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen bought shares for NOK 10 million to avoid bankruptcy; these shares had the option
to be converted to shares in the arena company.
Fornebu Boligspar later determined that it was more profitable to build apartments at the arena site. Negotiations started between the club, the property company and Mayor Odd Reinsfelt
. In November 2003, it was announced that a compromise was reached whereby Fornebu Boligspar would give the lot free to Stabæk, in exchange for a lot nearby. Two weeks later the compromise was rejected by FB. A new compromise was announced on 29 June 2004, whereby FB would give 50 million Norwegian krone
(NOK) and a lot free to Stabæk in exchange for the commercial properties which would be part of the stadium. However, the following day the parties announced that they were not able to agree on the risk, as Stabæk demanded that FB take the full risk in the project.
Instead, Stabæk started negotiating with IT Fornebu to take over a lot they owned. They needed a 300 hectares (741.3 acre) lot which would have a market value of between NOK 60 and 80 million, and Reinsfelt stated that the municipality was willing to help by "maneuver in gray areas within the margins". The club was further pressured by NFF, who were going to limit the exceptions allowed for Nadderud and other stadiums not meeting their criteria. On 29 October, FB and Stabæk signed an agreement whereby Stabæk received a free lot and NOK 50 million, in exchange for FB taking over the commercial properties. The condition was that the municipality allowed a more dense use of the rest of FB's area. This would require a re-regulation of the area, and Reinsfelt estimated that it would not be possible for construction to start until 2006. In November, UEFA changed the rules for artificial turf to state that it had to be green. Until Stabæk's proposal was made, UEFA had not though that anyone would build a pitch with a non-green turf, and representatives stated that it was because of Stabæk the rule change was made. The plans were nearly terminated in October 2006, after discussion about the planned Fornebu Line—a people mover
which would connect Fornebu to Lysaker
—stopped the regulation plan. However, in November the final permissions were granted by Bærum Municipality. On 22 December, Stabæk announced that the financing was secured.
d stadiums have been common in North America, no such stadiums of comparable size of Telenor Arena had previously been built for football in Europe. Construction started by demolishing a hangar, which was completed in February 2007. However, because of the building boom, concrete elements needed for construction to start meant that the rest of the construction was delayed. The cornerstone was laid on 5 September.
In June 2008, Stabæk announced they had signed an eleven-year sponsorship agreement with the telecommunications company Telenor
, where the latter would pay up to NOK 115 million for the sole naming rights for the arena, in addition to tickets and access to executive boxes. In March 2009, the retailing property was sold from Scandinavian Property Development to KLP Eiendom
. The plans called for twenty to twenty-five football games, four to eight concerts, three to four large sports events and two other large events and conventions per year. Because of larger seating capacity, an all-seating arrangement, higher attendance and VIP facilities, Stabæk is able to generate three times the matchday revenue from Telenor Arena as Nadderud. The stadium is plagued with traffic problems on matchdays, with large crews hired to create temporary barriers to direct the crowds. The bus stops closest to the venue are closed, and a large number of police officers have to direct the traffic. These are costs which have to be carried by the arena company, and contrasts to matches at the nearly twice as large Ullevaal, where no such measures are necessary.
On 4 November 2010, Stabæk Holding stated that they were near a bankruptcy, and that they intended to throw out Stabæk as a tenant, remove the turf and instead use the venue exclusively for events. Chair Diderik Schnitler
in Stabæk Holding stated that the business model was not sustainable. The football schedule was not made until early in the year, while in the event business, bookings were common one to two years in advance. It was therefore difficult to secure lucrative events, as large parts of the year had to be held in reserve in case the venue was needed for yet-to-be scheduled matches. The holding company stated that they might have to file for bankruptcy
. Stabæk Fotball stated that they had a 40-year contract to use the venue.
Stabæk's director of sports, Inge André Olsen
, stated that returning to Nadderud was not an option, as it had too little capacity and insufficient facilities. Should Nadderud be used, it would have to be rebuilt, with new grandstands under roofs, VIP seating, a new parking house and new change room, which would cost NOK 100 million. Because of building permits, construction would take two to three years. Nadderud is also not approved to host games in the Premier League, so Stabæk would have to either play their games at Ullevaal Stadion
in Oslo or Marienlyst Stadion
in Drammen
. Telenor stated that if Stabæk moved, they would have to re-negotiate the naming rights agreement for the arena, as the value of the contract was largely based on the naming exposure of Stabæk playing in the Premier League. The company also stated that they had difficulty understanding the argumentation from the holding company, as there was no football being played October and March, but that the venue, which has the largest capacity for indoor concerts in the Oslo area, failed to attract large artists, such as Rihanna
, during the winter months.
On 4 December, Stabæk Fotball stated that they were willing to move their training, Norwegian Football Cup
and UEFA
matches to either Nadderud or Ullevaal, as a compromise to free up more available time in the arena. This was rejected by NFF, who stated that the licensing rules required that a club's main arena be available for all league, cup and UEFA matches, and that a general exemption would not be given for the cup. In mid-December, Stabæk Fotball started the process of a judicial registration of the right to lease the venue, which was permitted according to the contract. This would grant Stabæk Fotball the right to continue to lease the venue even if the holding company went bankrupt. A preliminary injunction
for this was granted by Asker and Bærum District Court
.
In a 16 December statement, three Stabæk Fotball officials said that they suspected that Ulrichen's plan all along was to convert the venue to a pure convention center, and that the use as a football venue was a decoy to get a free lot worth up to NOK 200 million plus grants worth NOK 50 million. The book value of the venue was NOK 303 million at the end of 2010, although a statement from the district court stated that the value of the venue was significantly lower than that. The bank DnB NOR
held at the time a mortgage with security in the property worth NOK 260 million, while Ulrichsen through his investment company held a mortgage worth NOK 60.1 million.
On 7 January 2011, the parts announced that they had reached a compromise. Stabæk would remain at Telenor Arena for at least the 2011 season
. In addition, the club held an option to take over the responsibility for events at the venue. Stabæk Fotball had until 30 June to accept the option, which would allow the club to remain at the venue on a permanent basis. This would require them to invest NOK 20 million in an event administration, which would increase event revenue, but at the same time move the risk from Stabæk Holding to Stabæk Fotball. If the club declined the option, they would not be allowed to play at the venue from the 2012 season
. On 30 June, Stabæk announced that they would not fulfill the option to continue renting the stadium. The necessary NOK 35 million would entail a risk the club was not willing to take. The club stated that they hoped they could remain at the stadium by establishing a foundation which could purchase the venue form Ulrichsen. If this does not work out, the club will have to relocate from the 2012 season. The club is then considering relocating back to Nadderud, to Ullevaal or to Marienlyst. The club estimates that any relocation would result in the club losing half their revenue. Stabæk played its last match at Fornebu Arena on 20 November 2011, losing 1–2 against Haugesund. Subsequently the pitch was removed, and Stabæk will play at Nadderud from the 2012 season.
for the stadium. The venue has seating for 15,000 spectators for football, and 23,000 for concerts. This includes club seating
for 1,200, 40 luxury boxes and a restaurant which can seat 800. The arena is entirely indoors, and has a height clearance of 23 metres (75.5 ft) to the beams and 33 metres (108.3 ft) to the roof. The floor surface is 120 by, while the pitch is 105 by. The venue has a considerably lower heating cost than similar conventional halls because the warm air is stored in the building's concrete and steel elements, and using the inert energy created by the spectators. The venue is the largest indoor stadium in Northern Europe. The retailing area of 2600 square metres (3,109.6 sq yd) in the complex is owned by Arena Handel AS, a subsidiary of KLP Eiendom
.
The venue is owned and operated by a conglomerate of six companies all owned by Kjell Christian Ulrichsen. The mother company for the other companies is Stabæk Holding AS. Fornebu Arena AS is the actual owner of the real estate. Fornebu Event AS is responsible for renting out the venue for concerts, conventions and other non-sporting events. FA Leie AS partially leases and partially owns installed facilities in the venue. Sameiedrift Widerøeveien nr. 1 AS is the management company for the property as a whole. Arena Idrett AS hold the rental guarantee given to Fornebu Arena by the renters of the commercial properties and Sameiedrift Widerøeveien nr. 1.
bus 31 is a high-frequent service which runs from the city center of Oslo via Lysaker Station
to Fornebu. During regular schedule it stops just outside the stadium; however on matchdays it stops further away because of traffic. Lysaker Station is served by both the Oslo Commuter Rail
and selected intercity and regional trains. Dedicated football buses are operated by Ruter to Stabæk home games. There are 1,500 parking spaces immediately near the venue, although additional parking is available at IT Fornebu and at Lysaker, which are a seven and fifteen minute walk away, respectively. The Fornebu Line is under planning, and would be built either as a light rail
or a rapid transit
, which would allow rail transport from the city center of Oslo and Lysaker to the stadium.
. The first match was a friendly against Sweden's IFK Göteborg
on 24 January 2009. The official opening took place on 8 March, when it was host of Superfinalen 2009, a pre-season match between Stabæk as league champions and Vålerenga as cup champions.
Stabæk has played four UEFA tournament matches at Fornebu: against Tirana and Copenhagen
during the qualification for the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League, against Valencia
in the play-off for the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, and against Dnepr Mogilev in the qualification for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. Stabæk's record attendance at Telenor Arena dates from 13 September 2009, when 13,402 people saw a league game against Rosenborg. The record in a UEFA game was 12,560, who saw the match against Copenhagen.
The following list shows the average, maximum and minimum attendance for Stabæk's home games in the Premier League. It also gives the rank among the average attendance for the Premier League teams.
Major concerts held at the venue include AC/DC
with their Black Ice World Tour
and Tina Turner
with her 50th Anniversary Tour in 2009, Andrea Bocelli
in 2010, Metallica
for two nights on their World Magnetic Tour
in 2010, and Iron Maiden
with their The Final Frontier World Tour
in 2011. Telenor Arena was the host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
on 25, 27 and 29 May 2010. During the proceeding weeks, Stabæk had to play their home matches at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo. Other events at the venue include the Solberg Extreme Motorshow and Oslo International Horse Show.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located at Fornebu
Fornebu
Fornebu is a peninsular area in the suburban municipality of Bærum in Norway, bordering western parts of Oslo.Oslo Airport, Fornebu served as the main airport for Oslo and the country since before WWII and until the evening of October 7, 1998, when it was closed down...
in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, outside Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It serves primarily as a football stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
for Norwegian Premier League
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
side Stabæk Fotball, but is also used as a concert venue. It has a capacity for 15,000 spectators for football and 23,000 for concerts, including 40 luxury boxes and club seating
Club seating
Club Level Seating is a special section of seating in modern sports stadiums.The Club Level is usually located towards the middle of the stage of seating sections, above the lower deck but below the upper deck. They are usually right next to the Luxury Boxes, either right above, right below, or...
for 1,200. The venue has a fixed roof and artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
. The venue was opened ahead of the 2009 season as a replacement for Nadderud Stadion
Nadderud stadion
Nadderud stadion is a multi-purpose stadium at Nadderud near Bekkestua, in Bærum, Norway.-Association football:It is currently used mostly for track and field meets and football matches, and is the home ground of the Norwegian Toppserien team Stabæk Fotball...
. It cost 585 million Norwegian krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
(NOK) to build, of which NOK 300 million was for the sports venue.
During the 2000s, Nadderud was below standards for play in the top national league. Fornebu was at the time undergoing an urban redevelopment; after several years of negotiations and public grants, Stabæk secured a lot in 2004. Construction started in 2007. In 2010, a disagreement arose between the club and venue-owner Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen, with the latter demanding that the team leave the venue to allow for more event revenue. Telenor Arena has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Eurovision Song Contest 2010
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast from the Telenor Arena in Bærum, Greater Oslo, Norway. It was the third time Norway had hosted the contest, having previously done so in 1986 and 1996. The 2010 winner was Germany with Lena singing "Satellite",...
, as well as concerts for AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. Telenor
Telenor
Telenor Group is the incumbent telecommunications company in Norway, with headquarters located at Fornebu, close to Oslo. Today, Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, working predominantly under the Telenor brand...
holds the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
.
Planning
Stabæk traditionally has played their home games at Nadderud StadionNadderud stadion
Nadderud stadion is a multi-purpose stadium at Nadderud near Bekkestua, in Bærum, Norway.-Association football:It is currently used mostly for track and field meets and football matches, and is the home ground of the Norwegian Toppserien team Stabæk Fotball...
, a municipal multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
at Bekkestua
Bekkestua
Bekkestua is a town in the municipality of Bærum, Norway, with a busy bus terminal and a station on one of Oslo's westbound T-bane lines, Kolsåsbanen. It also has its own library, McDonalds, police station and fire station...
. Following the club's rapid ascent from lower divisions to the top league during the first half of the 1990s, Nadderud became in need of upgrades, resulting in a new main grandstand opening in 1996. The stadium remained severely lacking adequate facilities for professional football, and fell short of increasing requirements from the Football Association of Norway
Football Association of Norway
The Football Association of Norway is the governing body of football in Norway. Current FIFA World Champions It was formed in 1902 and organises the men's and women's national teams, as well as the Norwegian Premier League.The team are enjoying their best ever spell thanks to World Player of the...
(NFF).
Originally, a redevelopment of Nadderud was proposed, but in 1999 Stabæk players launched the idea of building a new stadium at Fornebu, which became subject to an urban redevelopment project after the 1998 closing of Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu
Oslo Airport, Fornebu was the main airport serving Oslo and Eastern Norway from 1 June 1939 to 7 October 1998. It was then replaced by Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and the area has since been redeveloped. The airport was located at Fornebu in Bærum, from the city center. Fornebu had two runways, one...
. The initial proposal was named Blue Dream Arena, would have seating for 25,000 spectators, blue artificial turf and a retractable roof
Retractable roof
A retractable roof is a kinetic architectural element used in many sports venues, in which a roof made of a suitable material can readily be mechanically deployed from some retracted or open position into a closed or extended position that completely covers the field of play and spectator areas...
. Other proposed amenities were movable seating
Movable seating
Movable seating is a feature of some facilities like stadiums, often known as convertible stadiums, or moduable stadiums. It allows for the movement of parts of the grandstand to allow for a change of the playing surface shape...
which would also allow the stadium to both host athletics and be configured as an intimate football stadium. The idea called for Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
to hold a concert before the first match, which would be played against Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. Several of the initial concepts of the stadium were never materialized. International rules disallowed blue artificial turf; instead, the flooring in the boxes were made in a blue, artificial turf-inspired material. Also the idea of having a retractable roof was discarded, both because of technical difficulties and cost issues.
In May 2001, Oslo City Council voted to sell their properties at Fornebu to Fornebu Boligspar (FB), which again had agreements to sell a lot for the stadium to Stabæk. In November 2002, Borgarting Court of Appeal
Borgarting Court of Appeal
Borgarting Court of Appeal is the court of appeal located in Oslo, Norway. It serves the counties of Oslo, Buskerud, Østfold and southern Akershus. The court has 62 judges and 45 administrative staff...
concluded that Norrønafly had the right to continue leasing a hangar—located at the planned location of the venue—until 2014. In June 2003, Stabæk was in financial difficulties, and investor Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen bought shares for NOK 10 million to avoid bankruptcy; these shares had the option
Option (law)
In law, an option is the right to convey a piece of property. The person granting the option is called the optionor and the person who has the benefit of the option is called the optionee .Options characteristically exist in one of two forms:* Call options, which give the beneficiary the right to...
to be converted to shares in the arena company.
Fornebu Boligspar later determined that it was more profitable to build apartments at the arena site. Negotiations started between the club, the property company and Mayor Odd Reinsfelt
Odd Reinsfelt
Odd Reinsfelt is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party and former meteorologist.Before Reinsfelt became a full-time politician he was Chief Meteorologist at NATO's Norwegian department....
. In November 2003, it was announced that a compromise was reached whereby Fornebu Boligspar would give the lot free to Stabæk, in exchange for a lot nearby. Two weeks later the compromise was rejected by FB. A new compromise was announced on 29 June 2004, whereby FB would give 50 million Norwegian krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
(NOK) and a lot free to Stabæk in exchange for the commercial properties which would be part of the stadium. However, the following day the parties announced that they were not able to agree on the risk, as Stabæk demanded that FB take the full risk in the project.
Instead, Stabæk started negotiating with IT Fornebu to take over a lot they owned. They needed a 300 hectares (741.3 acre) lot which would have a market value of between NOK 60 and 80 million, and Reinsfelt stated that the municipality was willing to help by "maneuver in gray areas within the margins". The club was further pressured by NFF, who were going to limit the exceptions allowed for Nadderud and other stadiums not meeting their criteria. On 29 October, FB and Stabæk signed an agreement whereby Stabæk received a free lot and NOK 50 million, in exchange for FB taking over the commercial properties. The condition was that the municipality allowed a more dense use of the rest of FB's area. This would require a re-regulation of the area, and Reinsfelt estimated that it would not be possible for construction to start until 2006. In November, UEFA changed the rules for artificial turf to state that it had to be green. Until Stabæk's proposal was made, UEFA had not though that anyone would build a pitch with a non-green turf, and representatives stated that it was because of Stabæk the rule change was made. The plans were nearly terminated in October 2006, after discussion about the planned Fornebu Line—a people mover
People mover
A people mover or automated people mover is a fully automated, grade-separated mass transit system.The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerably more complex automated...
which would connect Fornebu to Lysaker
Lysaker
Lysaker is a section of and a postal code area of the Norwegian municipality of Bærum, just west of Oslo.Geographically, it is bordered by Lysakerelven on the east, which also forms the border to Oslo; Fornebu to the south; Stabekk to the west; and Jar to the north...
—stopped the regulation plan. However, in November the final permissions were granted by Bærum Municipality. On 22 December, Stabæk announced that the financing was secured.
Construction
Architects were HRBT and the main contractor was NCC Construction. While domeDome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
d stadiums have been common in North America, no such stadiums of comparable size of Telenor Arena had previously been built for football in Europe. Construction started by demolishing a hangar, which was completed in February 2007. However, because of the building boom, concrete elements needed for construction to start meant that the rest of the construction was delayed. The cornerstone was laid on 5 September.
In June 2008, Stabæk announced they had signed an eleven-year sponsorship agreement with the telecommunications company Telenor
Telenor
Telenor Group is the incumbent telecommunications company in Norway, with headquarters located at Fornebu, close to Oslo. Today, Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, working predominantly under the Telenor brand...
, where the latter would pay up to NOK 115 million for the sole naming rights for the arena, in addition to tickets and access to executive boxes. In March 2009, the retailing property was sold from Scandinavian Property Development to KLP Eiendom
KLP Eiendom
KLP Eiendom is a Norwegian real estate management company owned by Kommunal Landspensjonskasse . It manages a portfolio of real estate on behalf of the clients of KLP, municipal and county employees. Most of the investments are located in Oslo and Trondheim, though there are other localities in...
. The plans called for twenty to twenty-five football games, four to eight concerts, three to four large sports events and two other large events and conventions per year. Because of larger seating capacity, an all-seating arrangement, higher attendance and VIP facilities, Stabæk is able to generate three times the matchday revenue from Telenor Arena as Nadderud. The stadium is plagued with traffic problems on matchdays, with large crews hired to create temporary barriers to direct the crowds. The bus stops closest to the venue are closed, and a large number of police officers have to direct the traffic. These are costs which have to be carried by the arena company, and contrasts to matches at the nearly twice as large Ullevaal, where no such measures are necessary.
Football versus event controversy
In October 2009, ten individuals bought the operation company of the club and signed a 40-year lease for the use of the arena for Stabæk's home matches, as well as the right to use the facility for certain other activities. This contract has a revenue of NOK 9 million per year. In 2009, Stabæk Holding had a deficit of NOK 66.1 million, while Stabæk Fotball lost NOK 23.6 million. To keep the operating company running, Ulrichsen increased the company's share capital by NOK 73 million from late 2009 through late 2010.On 4 November 2010, Stabæk Holding stated that they were near a bankruptcy, and that they intended to throw out Stabæk as a tenant, remove the turf and instead use the venue exclusively for events. Chair Diderik Schnitler
Diderik Schnitler
Diderik Børsting Schnitler is a Norwegian businessperson.He hails from Stabekk, and in his younger days he was the treasurer and an active tennis player for Stabekk TK. He graduated from the Norwegian Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1970. He was hired as an engineer in...
in Stabæk Holding stated that the business model was not sustainable. The football schedule was not made until early in the year, while in the event business, bookings were common one to two years in advance. It was therefore difficult to secure lucrative events, as large parts of the year had to be held in reserve in case the venue was needed for yet-to-be scheduled matches. The holding company stated that they might have to file for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. Stabæk Fotball stated that they had a 40-year contract to use the venue.
Stabæk's director of sports, Inge André Olsen
Inge André Olsen
Inge André Olsen is a retired Norwegian footballer who last played for Stabæk. Olsen came to the club from Start in 1998....
, stated that returning to Nadderud was not an option, as it had too little capacity and insufficient facilities. Should Nadderud be used, it would have to be rebuilt, with new grandstands under roofs, VIP seating, a new parking house and new change room, which would cost NOK 100 million. Because of building permits, construction would take two to three years. Nadderud is also not approved to host games in the Premier League, so Stabæk would have to either play their games at Ullevaal Stadion
Ullevaal Stadion
Ullevaal Stadion is an all-seater football stadium located in Oslo, Norway. It is the home ground of Vålerenga IF and the Norway national football team, and the site of the Norwegian Cup Final. From its opening in 1926 to 2009 it was the home ground of FK Lyn. With a capacity of 25,572, it is the...
in Oslo or Marienlyst Stadion
Marienlyst stadion
Marienlyst Stadion has been the home ground of Strømsgodset IF since 1967. It's located on Marienlyst in Drammen.The pitch was opened in 1924, and was the home ground of Drafn, Skiold and Drammens Ballklubb. During the 1952 Winter Olympics in neighboring Oslo, the venue hosted two ice hockey...
in Drammen
Drammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
. Telenor stated that if Stabæk moved, they would have to re-negotiate the naming rights agreement for the arena, as the value of the contract was largely based on the naming exposure of Stabæk playing in the Premier League. The company also stated that they had difficulty understanding the argumentation from the holding company, as there was no football being played October and March, but that the venue, which has the largest capacity for indoor concerts in the Oslo area, failed to attract large artists, such as Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
, during the winter months.
On 4 December, Stabæk Fotball stated that they were willing to move their training, Norwegian Football Cup
Norwegian football cup
The Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
and UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
matches to either Nadderud or Ullevaal, as a compromise to free up more available time in the arena. This was rejected by NFF, who stated that the licensing rules required that a club's main arena be available for all league, cup and UEFA matches, and that a general exemption would not be given for the cup. In mid-December, Stabæk Fotball started the process of a judicial registration of the right to lease the venue, which was permitted according to the contract. This would grant Stabæk Fotball the right to continue to lease the venue even if the holding company went bankrupt. A preliminary injunction
Preliminary injunction
A preliminary injunction, in equity, is an injunction entered by a court prior to a final determination of the merits of a legal case, in order to restrain a party from going forward with a course of conduct or compelling a party to continue with a course of conduct until the case has been decided...
for this was granted by Asker and Bærum District Court
Asker and Bærum District Court
Asker and Bærum District Court is the district court serving Asker and Bærum in Norway. Cases may be appealed to Borgarting Court of Appeal. The court is located in Sandvika in Bærum. It has 13 professional judges, of which one is the chief judge, and 2 deputy judges. The administration has 20...
.
In a 16 December statement, three Stabæk Fotball officials said that they suspected that Ulrichen's plan all along was to convert the venue to a pure convention center, and that the use as a football venue was a decoy to get a free lot worth up to NOK 200 million plus grants worth NOK 50 million. The book value of the venue was NOK 303 million at the end of 2010, although a statement from the district court stated that the value of the venue was significantly lower than that. The bank DnB NOR
DnB NOR
DNB ASA is Norway's largest financial services group with total combined assets of more than NOK 2.0 trillion and a market capitalisation NOK 102 billion as per December the 31st. The Group includes brands such as DNB, Vital, Nordlandsbanken, Cresco, Postbanken, DnB NORD and Carlson...
held at the time a mortgage with security in the property worth NOK 260 million, while Ulrichsen through his investment company held a mortgage worth NOK 60.1 million.
On 7 January 2011, the parts announced that they had reached a compromise. Stabæk would remain at Telenor Arena for at least the 2011 season
2011 Norwegian Premier League
The 2011 Norwegian Premier League season was the sixty-seventh season of top-tier football in Norway. The competition, which is also named Tippeligaen for sponsorship reasons, began on 20 March 2011 and ended on 27 November 2011...
. In addition, the club held an option to take over the responsibility for events at the venue. Stabæk Fotball had until 30 June to accept the option, which would allow the club to remain at the venue on a permanent basis. This would require them to invest NOK 20 million in an event administration, which would increase event revenue, but at the same time move the risk from Stabæk Holding to Stabæk Fotball. If the club declined the option, they would not be allowed to play at the venue from the 2012 season
2012 Norwegian Premier League
The 2012 Norwegian Premier League season is the 68th season of top-tier football in Norway. The competition, which is also named Tippeligaen for sponsorship reasons, will begin on 25 March 2012 and will end on 18 November 2012, with a summer break from 28 May to 30 June...
. On 30 June, Stabæk announced that they would not fulfill the option to continue renting the stadium. The necessary NOK 35 million would entail a risk the club was not willing to take. The club stated that they hoped they could remain at the stadium by establishing a foundation which could purchase the venue form Ulrichsen. If this does not work out, the club will have to relocate from the 2012 season. The club is then considering relocating back to Nadderud, to Ullevaal or to Marienlyst. The club estimates that any relocation would result in the club losing half their revenue. Stabæk played its last match at Fornebu Arena on 20 November 2011, losing 1–2 against Haugesund. Subsequently the pitch was removed, and Stabæk will play at Nadderud from the 2012 season.
Facilities
The venue is located at Fornebu, a peninsula in Bærum, located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the city center of Oslo. The venue is owned and operated by Fornebu Arena AS, which is again owned by Stabæk Holding, which also owns Stabæk Fotball. Telenor, Norway's largest telecommunications company, holds the naming rightsNaming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
for the stadium. The venue has seating for 15,000 spectators for football, and 23,000 for concerts. This includes club seating
Club seating
Club Level Seating is a special section of seating in modern sports stadiums.The Club Level is usually located towards the middle of the stage of seating sections, above the lower deck but below the upper deck. They are usually right next to the Luxury Boxes, either right above, right below, or...
for 1,200, 40 luxury boxes and a restaurant which can seat 800. The arena is entirely indoors, and has a height clearance of 23 metres (75.5 ft) to the beams and 33 metres (108.3 ft) to the roof. The floor surface is 120 by, while the pitch is 105 by. The venue has a considerably lower heating cost than similar conventional halls because the warm air is stored in the building's concrete and steel elements, and using the inert energy created by the spectators. The venue is the largest indoor stadium in Northern Europe. The retailing area of 2600 square metres (3,109.6 sq yd) in the complex is owned by Arena Handel AS, a subsidiary of KLP Eiendom
KLP Eiendom
KLP Eiendom is a Norwegian real estate management company owned by Kommunal Landspensjonskasse . It manages a portfolio of real estate on behalf of the clients of KLP, municipal and county employees. Most of the investments are located in Oslo and Trondheim, though there are other localities in...
.
The venue is owned and operated by a conglomerate of six companies all owned by Kjell Christian Ulrichsen. The mother company for the other companies is Stabæk Holding AS. Fornebu Arena AS is the actual owner of the real estate. Fornebu Event AS is responsible for renting out the venue for concerts, conventions and other non-sporting events. FA Leie AS partially leases and partially owns installed facilities in the venue. Sameiedrift Widerøeveien nr. 1 AS is the management company for the property as a whole. Arena Idrett AS hold the rental guarantee given to Fornebu Arena by the renters of the commercial properties and Sameiedrift Widerøeveien nr. 1.
Transport
RuterRuter
Ruter As is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
bus 31 is a high-frequent service which runs from the city center of Oslo via Lysaker Station
Lysaker Station
Lysaker Station is Norway's third-largest railway station, located at Lysaker on the Drammen Line. It serves express, regional, local and Airport Express trains. The station opened in 1872, and is located west of Oslo S at elevation...
to Fornebu. During regular schedule it stops just outside the stadium; however on matchdays it stops further away because of traffic. Lysaker Station is served by both the Oslo Commuter Rail
Oslo Commuter Rail
Oslo Commuter Rail is a commuter rail centered in Oslo, Norway, connecting the capital to six counties in Eastern Norway. The system is operated by the Norwegian State Railways and its subsidiary NSB Gjøvikbanen, using Class 69 and Class 72 electric multiple units . The network spans eight routes...
and selected intercity and regional trains. Dedicated football buses are operated by Ruter to Stabæk home games. There are 1,500 parking spaces immediately near the venue, although additional parking is available at IT Fornebu and at Lysaker, which are a seven and fifteen minute walk away, respectively. The Fornebu Line is under planning, and would be built either as a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
or a rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
, which would allow rail transport from the city center of Oslo and Lysaker to the stadium.
Events
Telenor Arena is the home ground for Stabæk Fotball, which plays in the Norwegian Premier LeagueNorwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
. The first match was a friendly against Sweden's IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
on 24 January 2009. The official opening took place on 8 March, when it was host of Superfinalen 2009, a pre-season match between Stabæk as league champions and Vålerenga as cup champions.
Stabæk has played four UEFA tournament matches at Fornebu: against Tirana and Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
during the qualification for the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League, against Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
in the play-off for the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, and against Dnepr Mogilev in the qualification for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. Stabæk's record attendance at Telenor Arena dates from 13 September 2009, when 13,402 people saw a league game against Rosenborg. The record in a UEFA game was 12,560, who saw the match against Copenhagen.
The following list shows the average, maximum and minimum attendance for Stabæk's home games in the Premier League. It also gives the rank among the average attendance for the Premier League teams.
| Season | Avg | Min | Max | Rank | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9,472 | 8,115 | 13,409 | 7 | ||
| 8,006 | 6,661 | 11,807 | 8 | ||
| 7,502 | 5,686 | 11,930 | 8 |
Major concerts held at the venue include AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
with their Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008. The tour was the band's first since the Stiff Upper Lip World Tour in 2000/2001.The jaunt began in Wilkes-Barre,...
and Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
with her 50th Anniversary Tour in 2009, Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
in 2010, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
for two nights on their World Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of the group's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which was released in September 2008....
in 2010, and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
with their The Final Frontier World Tour
The Final Frontier World Tour
The Final Frontier World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in support of the band's 15th album, The Final Frontier, which began on 9 June 2010 in Dallas, Texas and ended in London, England on 6 August 2011...
in 2011. Telenor Arena was the host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Eurovision Song Contest 2010
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast from the Telenor Arena in Bærum, Greater Oslo, Norway. It was the third time Norway had hosted the contest, having previously done so in 1986 and 1996. The 2010 winner was Germany with Lena singing "Satellite",...
on 25, 27 and 29 May 2010. During the proceeding weeks, Stabæk had to play their home matches at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo. Other events at the venue include the Solberg Extreme Motorshow and Oslo International Horse Show.