Munich project under way
Monday, October 21, 2002
Article summary
The foundation stone of the new 'Allianz-Arena' stadium in Munich has been laid.
Article body
German 1. Bundesliga rivals FC Bayern München and TSV 1860 München celebrated the laying of the foundation stone of the new 'Allianz-Arena' stadium on Monday.
April 2005 deadline
The stadium, which will be located in the northern Munich district of Fröttmaning and is the likely location for the opening game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, is costing around €280m and should be completed by the end of April 2005. The insurance group Allianz has bought the rights for the stadium to bear its name until 2021 for €90m.
'Fantastic home'
"We have been looking forward to this day for a long time," said Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer after the foundation stone was laid. Karl-Heinz Wildmoser, 1860's president, said: "The arena will be a fantastic home for the people of Munich and the fans of both clubs." Meanwhile Germany's minister of the interior, Otto Schily, called it "a great day for Munich, for Bavaria and for German football".
Swiss architects
The arena, which was designed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, will be capable of holding 66,000 fans. Beside the opening game, one semi-final and three other matches are also planned to take place in the new stadium during the 2006 World Cup.
