Åråsen stadion

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Åråsen

Location	Lillestrøm, Norway
Broke ground	1950
Opened	July 7, 1951
Owner	Lillestrøm S.K.
Operator	Lillestrøm S.K.
Surface	Grass, 108 x 67 m
Tenants	Lillestrøm S.K.
Capacity	11,637

Åråsen stadion is a football stadium located in the Norwegian town of Lillestrøm, and is the home ground of Lillestrøm Sportsklubb. The stadium has a capacity of 11,637, of which 9,937 are seated. The highest attendance at Åråsen was recorded in 2002, when 13,652 spectators watched Lillestrøm and Vålerenga draw 1-1.

[edit] History

Having spent their first years at various fields around town Lillestrøm S.K. were finally provided with adequate playing conditions in 1920, when a communal sportsfield was opened at Vigernes. This remained Lillestrøm's home ground for three decades, though plans for a stadium of their own were initiated as early as 1930. These plans were finally carried out in 1948, when the club was able to buy 72,000 square metres of land just north of its former ground. Åråsen stadion was completed three years later and inaugurated with a match between Lillestrøm and Sarpsborg, on July 7, 1951. A crowd of 3,500 saw Lillestrøm win 3-2.

In 1967, a fire broke out and destroyed the original stadium. The story of Åråsen could have ended then and there, as the Norwegian Public Roads Administration wanted to build a new highway straight down the middle of the pitch. Fortunately for Lillestrøm the project was abandoned and the club could rebuild their home ground at its original place. Their popularity was now growing and the need for a bigger stadium became apparent. New bleachers on the east side of the pitch were finished in 1974, but these had to be expanded the same year as Lillestrøm won promotion to the top flight. In addition to this larger terraces were constructed on the west side.

After Lillestrøm had secured their first two championships further expansion of the stadium was in order. The bleachers on the east side were moved to the north end and a new permanent east stand was completed in 1978, the first in the country to have plastic seats. This stand is the only part of the old stadium still in existence. Originally it had a capacity of 3,700, of which half were seated, but nowadays the capacity is around 3,500. It houses the dressing rooms of the club as well as the offices of the administration. The most passionate Lillestrøm fans, known as Kanari-Fansen, reside here.

Åråsen saw major redevelopment at the beginning the new millennium, when three new all-seater stands were constructed. The west stand, completed in 2000, is a two-tier stand with a capacity of 4,250. The lower tier has 3,500 seats while the second tier is a VIP-area with 750 seats. In the summer of 2000 a new pitch was laid and under-soil heating installed. The old bleachers at the north end were torn down and replaced by the 2,500-capacity Diadora Stand in 2001. The redevelopment project was finished a year later with the inauguration of the south end, which seats 2,000.

[edit] Trivia

Until recently Åråsen had no permanent flood lighting. The stadium's proximity to an airfield has prevented permanent flood light masts from being installed and temporary structures have had to be erected for each game, at considerable cost to the club. This problem has now been resolved and Åråsen is now the only stadium in Northern Europe to boast a semi-retractable flood light system; on matchdays where flood lighting is required the masts can be raised from 12 to nearly 40 meters above the ground, providing optimal conditions.

Close to Åråsen, lies Lillestrøm Stadion, which is used for training, and pre-season matches, and also the newly completed LSK-Hallen, which is an indoor arena used for the same purpose in winter time.