Lerkendal stadion
Encyclopedia
Lerkendal Stadion is an all-seater
football stadium
located at Lerkendal
in Trondheim
, Norway
. The home ground of the Tippeligaen
side Rosenborg BK, it has a capacity for 21,116 spectators, making it the second-largest football stadium in the country.
Lerkendal opened as a multi-purpose stadium
on 10 August 1947, as the main football and athletics stadium in Trondheim. Originally the venue was mostly used by the football teams SK Freidig
and FK Kvik
, and Rosenborg did not became a tenant until 1957. A new grandstand with roof was completed in 1962, and floodlights
were installed in 1968. The record attendance of 28,569 dates from the decisive league match against Lillestrøm in 1985. Eleven international matches were held at Lerkendal between 1951 and 1987. The oldest of the current stands were built in 1996, along with new lighting. Three more grandstands were built between 2000 and 2002, which also saw the removal of the running track and the sale of the stadium from Trondheim
Municipality to Rosenborg. Further expansions plans have been launched, to increase capacity by filling in the corners and possibly by building a retractable roof
.
courts and two tennis courts. The main field had a spectator capacity for 37,000 on temporary stands, making it the second-largest stadium in the country. The long sides consisted of temporary wooden stands, with seating on the south stand and standing places on terraces on the north stand. The end sides of the stadium consisted of grass embankments at a 30 percent angle, allowing for standing space for spectators without having to build stands. Change rooms were located in a near-by German-build barracks dating from the Second World War.
The first major rebuilding of the venue took place ahead of the 1962 season, when the wooden stands were torn and replaced with concrete stands on both long sides. On the south side, a wave-shaped roof was built; originally designed to be self-supporting, the contractor, Reinertsen
, did not trust their own calculations and and made a last-minute decision to install support columns. The new stands were taken into use on 3 May 1962. Floodlighting
was installed in 1968 to allow UEFA
club tournament matches to be held at the venue. An all-weather running track
was subsequently also laid. On 1 December 1988, Lerkendal Station
opened, allowing train passengers a short walk to the stadium. In 1994, the first pitch with Desso GrassMaster
was laid.
By the time Rosenborg had qualified for the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League, UEFA had for security reasons introduced restrictions which reduced Lerkendal's capacity to 12,200 spectators. In addition, a total ban on standing places would be introduced from 1997. In 1995, a debate arose between Rosenborg and Trondheim Municipality regarding the construction of a new grandstand, to be located on the north side of the stadium. Rosenborg's Nils Skutle
stated that if it was not built ahead of the 1997–98 season, Rosenborg would only be allowed to sell 2,800 tickets to their home Champions League matches, and that they instead would be forced to play their games at Ullevaal Stadion
in Oslo
. The new grandstand cost 32 million, and opened in 1996 season. The upgrades also included a new floodlight and public announcement system.
Rosenborg started laying plans for further construction, at first looking at construction of a new grandstand on the east end. In May 1998, Lerkendal Eiendom AS, owned 44% by Rosenborg, was established to build three new grandstands, including removing the running track to make it an football-only stadium. An alternative was to move and build an all-new stadium at Ranheim
. Following the announcement of the Ranheim plans, Mayor Anne Kathrine Slungård
stated that she did not want to sell Lerkendal, as she wanted public ownership of cultural infrastructure. In April 1999, Trondheim Municipality's chief of administration, Knut Sæther
, recommended that the municipality sell Lerkendal to Rosenborg, who would then along with private investors be free to construct the necessary facilities. At the time, the municipality estimated the value of Lerkendal to between NOK 50 and 100 million. The football district stated they were in favor of conversion of Lerkendal, and that they feared that if Rosenborg moved Lerkendal would incur high costs on the municipality, giving Granåsen
as an example of a little used skiing facility which used half the municipal funding for sports venues.
On 5 October 1999, the club and the municipality signed a letter of intent
which indicated that the two would cooperate constructing a new venue along with private investors. The final contract was made with Reinertsen on 20 April 2000, and other involved investors included Fokus Bank
, Gjensidige NOR
, I. K. Lykke, Eiendomspar, Siemens
and Trondheims Næringsbygg. The club received a 47% share of the stadium company, while the municipality received 14% in exchange for the company taking over the ownership of the land and existing structure. As compensation for losing Lerkendal as an athletics venue, the municipality spent NOK 32 million upgrading Øya stadion
as the city's new main athletics stadium. NOK 20 million was financed by Rosenborg, while the remainder was spent using public funds.
Construction of the end stands started in January 2001, and they were completed in November. The demolition of the 1962 stand started on 24 October 2001, and the new stand was completed on 30 September 2002. The cost of constructing the new Lerkendal, including all four stands from 1996 to 2002, was NOK 335 million, of which NOK 253 million was for the 2001 and 2002 work. To give optimal conditions for the turf, the corners were not built out and the south stand was built with a transparent roof. However, the harsh climate forced the turf to be replaced two years later.
and luxury boxes on the center tier of all four stands. The Adidas
Stand on the north side of the pitch, built in 1996, is the largest and the only to have red seats. It holds a capacity of 7,457 spectators. Opposite lays the EiendomsMegler1 Stand, which was completed in 2002. In addition to change rooms and an honor stand, it has a capacity for 6,194 spectators. The Rema
Stand to the west, opened in 2001, houses the supporter shop, a pizza restaurant and commercial offices. The lower tier is used by Kjernen, Rosenborg's supporter club. The Adressa
Stand opened at the same time, and both have a seating capacity for 3,810 people. The latter hosts office space for Rosenborg Arena and the football district, as well as change rooms for the training pitch. The lower section is used for the visiting team supporters. The pitch has Desso GrassMaster
, a natural grass pitch with artificial fibers sown in for increase strength. This includes an automatic watering system and a built-in heating 25 centimetres (9.8 in) below the surface.
The stadium is part of Lerkendal idrettspark, which also consists of three training pitches, two in full size and of which one has artificial turf
. The main training pitch is the natural grass Skoglunden, while the artificial turf venue is Lerkendal kunstgress. The two pitches both have flood lighting, heating and are often used for matches by Rosenborg's recruit and reserve teams. The team has a health club
located within the south stand. The club's offices are located in Brakka, a German-built barracks dating from World War II
.
The stadium is located at Lerkendal
, 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of the city center. It is located on the southern main road into town, with good bus service. In addition, it is located next to Lerkendal Station
, the southern terminus of the Trøndelag Commuter Rail. Parking near the stadium is very limited, and ad-hoc park and ride
are established on matchdays at Stavset and City Syd
.
and FK Kvik
. The latter played in the Main League in 1951–52 and 1955–56, and otherwise remained in the Second Division throughout most of the 1950s and 60s. A record 18,000 spectators watched Freidig lose the 1948 Norwegian Football Cup semifinal against Viking. On 18 October 1950, Lerkendal hosted a friendly between Kvik and Spartak Moscow
.
Lerkendal hosted its first international on 26 June 1951, when Norway
beat Iceland
3–1. On 28 August 1953 it hosted a B international game against Finland
. Later national games consist of 5–0 against Malta
on 3 July 1962, 2–0 against Finland on 20 August 1964, 4–2 against Luxembourg
on 27 May 1965, with the record international audience of 22,319, 2–1 against Iceland on 21 July 1969, 0–1 against Denmark
on 23 September 1973, 2–0 against West Germany on 26 September 1979, 1–0 against Wales
on 6 June 1984, 1–0 against Bulgaria
on 26 May 1987. and 1–2 against Denmark on 26 May 1987, The Football Association of Norway
no longer plays international matches elsewhere than Ullevaal Stadion
because of the conditions in its sponsorship agreements. On 26 May 1977, the Norway national under-21 football team
lost 2–3 against Sweden
at Lerkendal.
Rosenborg took Lerkendal into use from the 1957–58 season, when they were promoted to the Regional League. The season ended in relegation and Rosenborg played the following season at their old home ground, Rosenborgbanen. With the promotion ahead of the 1959–60 season, Rosenborg returned to Lerkendal and have remained there since. In 1959, Lerkendal was the venue of a neutral quarter final in the cup between Nessegutten from Levanger
and Viking, which attracted 25,043 spectators, mostly from Innherred, setting a new stadium record. From the 1960–61 season, Rosenborg established itself in the Main League.
The opening game of the new stands on 3 May 1962 was a Rosenborg friendly against Dunfermline Athletic. Freidig moved to Eberg idrettsanlegg when it was completed ahead of the 1965 season. A new stadium spectator record was set in the cup semifinal against Brann in 1967, which was watched by 25,551 people. Rosenborg qualified for the 1968–69 European Cup and met SK Rapid Wien
in the first round. The game was spectated by 22,492 and remains the record for UEFA tournaments. Per-season average attendance for Rosenborg's league matches lay between five and ten thousand people during the 1970s and early 1980s, with an all-time low of 2,549 in 1978, when Rosenborg played in the Second Division. The venue hosted the Norwegian Athletics Championships four times, in 1963, 1967, 1973 and 1983. Lerkendal hosted the Women's Cup Final in 1986, where Sprint-Jeløy beat Trondheims-Ørn. Strindheim IL played in the top division in 1984 and 1995, both times playing their home games at Lerkendal. Kvik remained at Lerkendal until the upgrades started in 2000, after which they moved to Øya stadion
. Bodø/Glimt played their home game in the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup against Werder Bremen at Lerkendal, attracting 1,425 spectators.
The official all-time record at Lerkendal is the final game of the 1985 season, when Rosenborg won the league in the last game against Lillestrøm in a league final which attracted 28,569. Starting with Rosenborg's success in the late 1980s, attendance rose and lay between eleven and thirteen thousand until 2001. After the opening of the new stadium in 2002, attendance again rose, peaking at an average 19,903 in 2007, although it has fallen somewhat since. The high of most seasons is the 16 May game held every year: the 1994 edition against Tromsø saw 27,661 spectators, and in 1985 as many as 30,000 may have seen the game, as the gates were opened. Since the opening of the current stadium, the attendance record is 22,330, set in the 2006 edition against Odd Grenland. Between 1995 and 2007, Rosenborg played 11 seasons and 37 home matches in UEFA Champions League
. The venue has been used for numerous concerts, including A-ha
, Iron Maiden
and Kiss
.
, launched in 2007, called for Lerkendal to be the Olympic Stadium
and host the opening and closing ceremonies
.
Rosenborg had originally planned to build additional commercial facilities and a tower hotel during the 2002 construction, but this was canceled. At the 2011 annual meeting, the plans were again launched by Skutle, who stated that construction might start as early as 2011. I March 2005, Rosenborg announced plans to build a retractable roof over the pitch and lay artificial turf
. The roof was estimated to cost NOK 100 million, and the club estimated that it could generate NOK 30 million per year in increased revenue from concerts and events. By 2007, the roof plans were delayed, with management stating that it would be necessary to complete the construction of all stands before a roof was built, and that they believed the stadium would soon be expanded.
All-seater stadium
An all-seater stadium is a sports stadium in which every spectator has a seat. This is commonplace in football stadiums in nations such as the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. Most soccer and American football stadiums in the United States and Canada are all-seaters, as are most baseball...
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...
located at Lerkendal
Lerkendal
Lerkendal is an area and borough in Trondheim, Norway.The area is located south of Gløshaugen and Elgeseter, west of Berg, north of Tempe and east of the river Nidelva. The area is dominated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, SINTEF and the home stadium of Rosenborg, Lerkendal...
in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, 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...
. The home ground of the Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
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 Rosenborg BK, it has a capacity for 21,116 spectators, making it the second-largest football stadium in the country.
Lerkendal opened as a 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...
on 10 August 1947, as the main football and athletics stadium in Trondheim. Originally the venue was mostly used by the football teams SK Freidig
SK Freidig
Sportsklubben Freidig is a Norwegian sports club from Trondheim.It was founded in 1903. It has sections for association football, team handball, orienteering and Nordic skiing. In football it won the League of Norway 1947–48, in handball the league in 1971 and 1985. The club has also won several...
and FK Kvik
FK Kvik
Fotballklubben Kvik is a Norwegian association football club from Trondheim. To avoid confusion with the other Norwegian football club named Kvik, which was also known as FK Kvik until 1997, FK Kvik is sometimes referred to as Kvik Trondheim. The club was founded in 1900, and is the oldest...
, and Rosenborg did not became a tenant until 1957. A new grandstand with roof was completed in 1962, and floodlights
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
were installed in 1968. The record attendance of 28,569 dates from the decisive league match against Lillestrøm in 1985. Eleven international matches were held at Lerkendal between 1951 and 1987. The oldest of the current stands were built in 1996, along with new lighting. Three more grandstands were built between 2000 and 2002, which also saw the removal of the running track and the sale of the stadium from Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
Municipality to Rosenborg. Further expansions plans have been launched, to increase capacity by filling in the corners and possibly by building 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...
.
History
Construction of Lerkendal started as a public works during the 1930s, as a measure to create jobs. It opened on 10 August 1947, and consisted of a main grass field, two gravel fields, two handballTeam handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
courts and two tennis courts. The main field had a spectator capacity for 37,000 on temporary stands, making it the second-largest stadium in the country. The long sides consisted of temporary wooden stands, with seating on the south stand and standing places on terraces on the north stand. The end sides of the stadium consisted of grass embankments at a 30 percent angle, allowing for standing space for spectators without having to build stands. Change rooms were located in a near-by German-build barracks dating from the Second World War.
The first major rebuilding of the venue took place ahead of the 1962 season, when the wooden stands were torn and replaced with concrete stands on both long sides. On the south side, a wave-shaped roof was built; originally designed to be self-supporting, the contractor, Reinertsen
Reinertsen
Reinertsen is a Norwegian construction and civil engineering company. The group has activities in Trondheim, Orkanger, Oslo, Bergen, Bodø, Stenungsund, Göteborg, Malmö, Stockholm, Murmansk, Russia and Szczecin, Poland . The group is 6-th biggest construction company in Norway with turnover in 2010...
, did not trust their own calculations and and made a last-minute decision to install support columns. The new stands were taken into use on 3 May 1962. Floodlighting
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
was installed in 1968 to allow 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....
club tournament matches to be held at the venue. An all-weather running track
All-weather running track
An all weather running track is the common term to describe a rubberized artificial running surface for the sport of Track and field athletics. Throughout the history of the sport, there has always been a search for a consistent surface that gave competitors an equal advantage, to test their...
was subsequently also laid. On 1 December 1988, Lerkendal Station
Lerkendal Station
Lerkendal is a railway station located at Lerkendal in Trondheim, Norway. The station is the southern terminus of Trønderbanen, the commuter rail between Steinkjer and Trondheim...
opened, allowing train passengers a short walk to the stadium. In 1994, the first pitch with Desso GrassMaster
Desso GrassMaster
Desso GrassMaster is a sports playing field surface composed of natural grass combined with artificial fibres. The artificial grass fibres are injected deep, and cover about 3% of the surface. While the grass is growing, the roots intertwine with the artificial fibres...
was laid.
By the time Rosenborg had qualified for the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League, UEFA had for security reasons introduced restrictions which reduced Lerkendal's capacity to 12,200 spectators. In addition, a total ban on standing places would be introduced from 1997. In 1995, a debate arose between Rosenborg and Trondheim Municipality regarding the construction of a new grandstand, to be located on the north side of the stadium. Rosenborg's Nils Skutle
Nils Skutle
Nils Skutle is the director of the Norwegian football club Rosenborg BK. He was also a member of the Norwegian interest organization Norsk Toppfotball until 2009.- References :...
stated that if it was not built ahead of the 1997–98 season, Rosenborg would only be allowed to sell 2,800 tickets to their home Champions League matches, and that they instead would be forced to 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
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...
. The new grandstand cost 32 million, and opened in 1996 season. The upgrades also included a new floodlight and public announcement system.
Rosenborg started laying plans for further construction, at first looking at construction of a new grandstand on the east end. In May 1998, Lerkendal Eiendom AS, owned 44% by Rosenborg, was established to build three new grandstands, including removing the running track to make it an football-only stadium. An alternative was to move and build an all-new stadium at Ranheim
Ranheim
Ranheim is a residential area located approximately 6 kilometers to the east of the centre of Trondheim, Norway. It comprises places such as Olderdalen, Væretrøa, Reppe and Vikåsen....
. Following the announcement of the Ranheim plans, Mayor Anne Kathrine Slungård
Anne Kathrine Slungård
Anne Kathrine Slungård is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.She is known as mayor of Trondheim, the third largest city in Norway, from 1998 to 2003. From August 2001 to June 2002 the deputy mayor Liv Sandven replaced Slungård temporarily as mayor...
stated that she did not want to sell Lerkendal, as she wanted public ownership of cultural infrastructure. In April 1999, Trondheim Municipality's chief of administration, Knut Sæther
Knut Sæther
Knut Sæther is a Norwegian jurist, civil servant and pig farmer.He was chief administrative officer in Sør-Trøndelag County Municipality, then chief administrative officer in Trondheim. While chief administrative officer in Trondheim, he was under police investigation for an attempt to purchase a...
, recommended that the municipality sell Lerkendal to Rosenborg, who would then along with private investors be free to construct the necessary facilities. At the time, the municipality estimated the value of Lerkendal to between NOK 50 and 100 million. The football district stated they were in favor of conversion of Lerkendal, and that they feared that if Rosenborg moved Lerkendal would incur high costs on the municipality, giving Granåsen
Granåsen
Granåsen is a ski jumping hill, located in Granåsen skicenter in Trondheim, Norway. The hill frequently hosts World Cup and Continental Cup competitions arranged by FIS. The hill sports one K-90 hill and one K-124 hill....
as an example of a little used skiing facility which used half the municipal funding for sports venues.
On 5 October 1999, the club and the municipality signed a letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
which indicated that the two would cooperate constructing a new venue along with private investors. The final contract was made with Reinertsen on 20 April 2000, and other involved investors included Fokus Bank
Fokus Bank
Fokus Bank is a brand name for Danske Bank's Norwegian operation. Danske Bank has long been one of the largest banks in Scandinavia.Fokus Bank has 41 local branches spread around all of Norway. The main office is in Trondheim and the bank employs approximately 1,000 workers...
, Gjensidige NOR
Gjensidige NOR
Gjensidige NOR was a Norwegian bank and insurance company that was in existence between 1999 and 2003. The company was created when the two savings banks Sparebanken NOR and Gjensidige were merged in 1999. In 2002 Norwegian savings banks were allowed to become public limited company and was...
, I. K. Lykke, Eiendomspar, Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
and Trondheims Næringsbygg. The club received a 47% share of the stadium company, while the municipality received 14% in exchange for the company taking over the ownership of the land and existing structure. As compensation for losing Lerkendal as an athletics venue, the municipality spent NOK 32 million upgrading Øya stadion
Øya stadion
Øya stadion, also known as Trondheim stadion, is an athletics facility in Nidarø, Trondheim, Norway. The field was established as "Øen stadion" in 1900 as a combined athletics field and skating rink.-Skating:...
as the city's new main athletics stadium. NOK 20 million was financed by Rosenborg, while the remainder was spent using public funds.
Construction of the end stands started in January 2001, and they were completed in November. The demolition of the 1962 stand started on 24 October 2001, and the new stand was completed on 30 September 2002. The cost of constructing the new Lerkendal, including all four stands from 1996 to 2002, was NOK 335 million, of which NOK 253 million was for the 2001 and 2002 work. To give optimal conditions for the turf, the corners were not built out and the south stand was built with a transparent roof. However, the harsh climate forced the turf to be replaced two years later.
Facilities
Lerkendal Stadion consists of four, three-tier grandstand without corners. The stadium has a capacity for 21,116 spectators, of which 1,338 are in club seatingClub 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...
and luxury boxes on the center tier of all four stands. The Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
Stand on the north side of the pitch, built in 1996, is the largest and the only to have red seats. It holds a capacity of 7,457 spectators. Opposite lays the EiendomsMegler1 Stand, which was completed in 2002. In addition to change rooms and an honor stand, it has a capacity for 6,194 spectators. The Rema
REMA 1000
REMA 1000 is a multinational no-frills supermarket chain owned entirely by the Reitan Group . REMA is a short for REitan MAt , referring to Odd Reitan...
Stand to the west, opened in 2001, houses the supporter shop, a pizza restaurant and commercial offices. The lower tier is used by Kjernen, Rosenborg's supporter club. The Adressa
Adresseavisen
Adresseavisen is a regional newspaper published daily, except Sundays, in Trondheim, Norway. It is an independent, conservative newspaper with a daily circulation of approximately 85,000. It is also informally known as Adressa. The newspaper covers the areas of Trøndelag and Nordmøre.Adresseavisen...
Stand opened at the same time, and both have a seating capacity for 3,810 people. The latter hosts office space for Rosenborg Arena and the football district, as well as change rooms for the training pitch. The lower section is used for the visiting team supporters. The pitch has Desso GrassMaster
Desso GrassMaster
Desso GrassMaster is a sports playing field surface composed of natural grass combined with artificial fibres. The artificial grass fibres are injected deep, and cover about 3% of the surface. While the grass is growing, the roots intertwine with the artificial fibres...
, a natural grass pitch with artificial fibers sown in for increase strength. This includes an automatic watering system and a built-in heating 25 centimetres (9.8 in) below the surface.
The stadium is part of Lerkendal idrettspark, which also consists of three training pitches, two in full size and of which one has 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 main training pitch is the natural grass Skoglunden, while the artificial turf venue is Lerkendal kunstgress. The two pitches both have flood lighting, heating and are often used for matches by Rosenborg's recruit and reserve teams. The team has a health club
Health club
A health club is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.-Main workout area:...
located within the south stand. The club's offices are located in Brakka, a German-built barracks dating from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The stadium is located at Lerkendal
Lerkendal
Lerkendal is an area and borough in Trondheim, Norway.The area is located south of Gløshaugen and Elgeseter, west of Berg, north of Tempe and east of the river Nidelva. The area is dominated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, SINTEF and the home stadium of Rosenborg, Lerkendal...
, 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of the city center. It is located on the southern main road into town, with good bus service. In addition, it is located next to Lerkendal Station
Lerkendal Station
Lerkendal is a railway station located at Lerkendal in Trondheim, Norway. The station is the southern terminus of Trønderbanen, the commuter rail between Steinkjer and Trondheim...
, the southern terminus of the Trøndelag Commuter Rail. Parking near the stadium is very limited, and ad-hoc park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
are established on matchdays at Stavset and City Syd
City Syd
City Syd is one of the largest shopping centres in Norway, and the largest in Midt-Norge, with a turnover of NOK 1.7 billion in 2004. It lies in Tiller, about 10 km south of the center of Trondheim. City Syd opened in 1987 and was remodeled and expanded in 2000. It is now 38,000 m² and...
.
Events
The venue was opened with a friendly football match between the Trondheim city team and the Vestfold county team, which Trondheim won 4–3. The opening, attended by 8,000 spectators, also saw several track and field events. The original main football tenants were SK FreidigSK Freidig
Sportsklubben Freidig is a Norwegian sports club from Trondheim.It was founded in 1903. It has sections for association football, team handball, orienteering and Nordic skiing. In football it won the League of Norway 1947–48, in handball the league in 1971 and 1985. The club has also won several...
and FK Kvik
FK Kvik
Fotballklubben Kvik is a Norwegian association football club from Trondheim. To avoid confusion with the other Norwegian football club named Kvik, which was also known as FK Kvik until 1997, FK Kvik is sometimes referred to as Kvik Trondheim. The club was founded in 1900, and is the oldest...
. The latter played in the Main League in 1951–52 and 1955–56, and otherwise remained in the Second Division throughout most of the 1950s and 60s. A record 18,000 spectators watched Freidig lose the 1948 Norwegian Football Cup semifinal against Viking. On 18 October 1950, Lerkendal hosted a friendly between Kvik and Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
.
Lerkendal hosted its first international on 26 June 1951, when Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
beat Iceland
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
3–1. On 28 August 1953 it hosted a B international game against Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
. Later national games consist of 5–0 against Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
on 3 July 1962, 2–0 against Finland on 20 August 1964, 4–2 against Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
on 27 May 1965, with the record international audience of 22,319, 2–1 against Iceland on 21 July 1969, 0–1 against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
on 23 September 1973, 2–0 against West Germany on 26 September 1979, 1–0 against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 6 June 1984, 1–0 against Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
on 26 May 1987. and 1–2 against Denmark on 26 May 1987, 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...
no longer plays international matches elsewhere than 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...
because of the conditions in its sponsorship agreements. On 26 May 1977, the Norway national under-21 football team
Norway national under-21 football team
The Norwegian national under-21 football team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, is the national football team of Norway for players of 21 years of age or under at the start of a UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship campaign...
lost 2–3 against Sweden
Sweden national under-21 football team
The Swedish U-21 national football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players. Sweden U21's current captain is Jiloan Hamad with Jakob Johansson as vice captain.-UEFA European U-21 Championship Record:...
at Lerkendal.
Rosenborg took Lerkendal into use from the 1957–58 season, when they were promoted to the Regional League. The season ended in relegation and Rosenborg played the following season at their old home ground, Rosenborgbanen. With the promotion ahead of the 1959–60 season, Rosenborg returned to Lerkendal and have remained there since. In 1959, Lerkendal was the venue of a neutral quarter final in the cup between Nessegutten from Levanger
Levanger
Levanger is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Levanger...
and Viking, which attracted 25,043 spectators, mostly from Innherred, setting a new stadium record. From the 1960–61 season, Rosenborg established itself in the Main League.
The opening game of the new stands on 3 May 1962 was a Rosenborg friendly against Dunfermline Athletic. Freidig moved to Eberg idrettsanlegg when it was completed ahead of the 1965 season. A new stadium spectator record was set in the cup semifinal against Brann in 1967, which was watched by 25,551 people. Rosenborg qualified for the 1968–69 European Cup and met SK Rapid Wien
SK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
in the first round. The game was spectated by 22,492 and remains the record for UEFA tournaments. Per-season average attendance for Rosenborg's league matches lay between five and ten thousand people during the 1970s and early 1980s, with an all-time low of 2,549 in 1978, when Rosenborg played in the Second Division. The venue hosted the Norwegian Athletics Championships four times, in 1963, 1967, 1973 and 1983. Lerkendal hosted the Women's Cup Final in 1986, where Sprint-Jeløy beat Trondheims-Ørn. Strindheim IL played in the top division in 1984 and 1995, both times playing their home games at Lerkendal. Kvik remained at Lerkendal until the upgrades started in 2000, after which they moved to Øya stadion
Øya stadion
Øya stadion, also known as Trondheim stadion, is an athletics facility in Nidarø, Trondheim, Norway. The field was established as "Øen stadion" in 1900 as a combined athletics field and skating rink.-Skating:...
. Bodø/Glimt played their home game in the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup against Werder Bremen at Lerkendal, attracting 1,425 spectators.
The official all-time record at Lerkendal is the final game of the 1985 season, when Rosenborg won the league in the last game against Lillestrøm in a league final which attracted 28,569. Starting with Rosenborg's success in the late 1980s, attendance rose and lay between eleven and thirteen thousand until 2001. After the opening of the new stadium in 2002, attendance again rose, peaking at an average 19,903 in 2007, although it has fallen somewhat since. The high of most seasons is the 16 May game held every year: the 1994 edition against Tromsø saw 27,661 spectators, and in 1985 as many as 30,000 may have seen the game, as the gates were opened. Since the opening of the current stadium, the attendance record is 22,330, set in the 2006 edition against Odd Grenland. Between 1995 and 2007, Rosenborg played 11 seasons and 37 home matches in UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. The venue has been used for numerous concerts, including A-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
, 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...
and Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
.
Future
Ahead of the failed Nordic bid to host the Euro 2008, Lerkendal was, along with Ullevaal Stadion, proposed as Norwegian venues. To reach the required spectator capacity of 30,000 seats, the plans called for the roof of the Adidas stand to be removed to allow for a temporary third tier. Additional seating would be created by adding a single row at the bottom of the four stands, and building capacity in the corners. The proposal would have given a spectator capacity of 30,849, although it would have been reduced after the championship by removing the extra tier. Similar plans were launched for the Norwegian–Swedish bid for Euro 2016, where the cost of the stadium upgrades was estimated at NOK 800 million. In 2007, the club management stated that they wanted to sell out all matches before they made further expansions to the stadium, independent of the plans to host the Euro. Construction of stands in the corners could give 4,000 additional seats, although these would be the most costly to build and at the same time give the worst view of the pitch. Construction could be done by first building two of the corners. Since then, Rosenborg has experienced a significant drop in attendance. The failed Trondheim bid for the 2018 Winter OlympicsTrondheim bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics
Trondheim 2018 was a proposed bid for Trondheim, Norway, to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. Along with Oslo and Tromsø bid, it was one of three options for the Norwegian Olympic Committee, who ultimately chose to not bid for the games.-Plans:...
, launched in 2007, called for Lerkendal to be the Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Stadium is the name usually given to the big centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games. Traditionally, the opening and closing ceremonies and the track and field competitions are held in the Olympic Stadium. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words Olympic...
and host the opening and closing ceremonies
Olympic Games ceremony
Olympic Games ceremonies were an integral part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies harken back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies...
.
Rosenborg had originally planned to build additional commercial facilities and a tower hotel during the 2002 construction, but this was canceled. At the 2011 annual meeting, the plans were again launched by Skutle, who stated that construction might start as early as 2011. I March 2005, Rosenborg announced plans to build a retractable roof over the pitch and lay 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 roof was estimated to cost NOK 100 million, and the club estimated that it could generate NOK 30 million per year in increased revenue from concerts and events. By 2007, the roof plans were delayed, with management stating that it would be necessary to complete the construction of all stands before a roof was built, and that they believed the stadium would soon be expanded.