Eden Arena

Eden Arena
Former names Stadion Eden (2008)
Synot Tip Arena (2008–2012)
Location Vršovice, Prague 10, Prague, Czech Republic
Coordinates 50°04′03″N 14°28′18″E / 50.06750°N 14.47167°E / 50.06750; 14.47167Coordinates: 50°04′03″N 14°28′18″E / 50.06750°N 14.47167°E / 50.06750; 14.47167
Owner Eden Arena[1]
Operator SK Slavia Prague
Capacity 21,000[2]
Field size 105 metres (115 yd) x 68 metres (74 yd)
Construction
Broke ground 15 September 2006
Opened 7 May 2008
Construction cost 1 billion koruna
Architect Ing. arch.Martin Kotík
Ing. arch.Daniel Dvořák
Ing. arch.Leoš Zeman
Tenants
SK Slavia Prague (2008–present)
Bohemians 1905 (2010–2012)

EDEN ARÉNA (formerly known as Synot Tip Arena) is a football stadium, in Prague-Vršovice, Czech Republic.

The stadium has a capacity of 21,000 people and it is the most modern football stadium in the Czech Republic. It is the home venue of SK Slavia Prague and occasionally the Czech Republic national football team. In the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, it was also the venue of Bohemians 1905 home matches. During the 2011–12 season the stadium hosted home matches for FC Viktoria Plzeň in the Champions League group stage.

The stadium was the venue for the 2013 UEFA Super Cup.[3]

History

In the early 1950s, Slavia was forced to leave its stadium at Letná and a new stadium was built at Eden in the Vršovice district. Its capacity was about 50,000 (mostly for standing). The wooden western (main) stand was taken from the old stadium at Letná, the rest of the stands were made of concrete. The stadium also featured an athletics track. The first match at this stadium took place on 27 September 1953, Slavia drew 1-1 against the team of Křídla vlasti Olomouc. Josef Bican scored the home team's goal.

Move

In the 1970s, it became apparent that Eden did not provide sufficient comfort for the visitors and started planning to build a new one in the same place. However, under the communist regime, the planning went quite slowly. Several projects were made, and the construction was finally to start in 1990. In 1989, Slavia moved temporarily to the nearby Ďolíček stadium (home of FC Bohemians Prague, now known as Bohemians 1905) and the eastern stand was torn down. However, the overthrowing of the communist regime in 1989 delayed the construction. In the meantime, Slavia moved to Stadion Evžena Rošického, a stadium on the Strahov hill, which is large but uncomfortable and poorly accessible.

In the early 1990s, the whole construction was cancelled and Slavia moved back to Eden. A temporary stand was built in the place of former eastern stand, but it was clear that Eden was outdated and Slavia needed a new home ground. Several more projects were made, but Slavia was unable to raise sufficient funds and there were some legal problems, as the premises were owned by the government and it took a lot of effort to transfer them to Slavia. In 2000, the stadium became ineligible to host Czech First League matches, so Slavia moved to the unpopular Strahov again.[4]

New stadium

Front side

Slavia finally presented a project of the new stadium, but no construction started. In December 2003, the old Eden stadium was torn down and Slavia announced that the new stadium would be opened on 19 October 2005, however, by October 2005 the construction had not even started. It took another year to start. The project had to be scaled down to lower the construction cost from 1.8 billion Czech koruna to less than 1 billion. The construction eventually started in October 2006.

Despite the stadium not being fully finished, it was opened on 7 May 2008 with an exhibition match against Oxford University A.F.C. Many former Slavia stars (such as Pavel Kuka, Patrik Berger, Jan Suchopárek and Ivo Knoflíček) took part in this match, which Slavia won 5–0.[5]

The first competitive match at the new stadium was played on 17 May 2008 against Jablonec, the match ended 2–2, Slavia secured the Czech First League title in this final match of the 2007/08 season.

In 2016, CEFC China Energy, who had previously purchased a majority stake in SK Slavia Prague, bought a 70% stake in the stadium and announced plans to invest around €50 million (including the purchase price) to improve the stadium capacity and turn it into the main national stadium for the Czech Republic national team.[6]

Sponsorship

In July 2008, it was announced that betting company Synot Tip had made an agreement with E Side Property Limited, the owners of the stadium, regarding a sponsorship deal regarding one of the stands.[7] In 2009, the stadium's name was officially changed to Synot Tip Arena.[8]

In 2011, Natland Group were announced as the new majority owners of the stadium.[9]

In 2012 it was announced that Synot would not be extending their sponsorship of the stadium past the end of the 2011–12 season.[10]

International matches

Eden Arena has hosted three competitive matches and two friendly matches of the Czech Republic national football team.

27 May 2008
Czech Republic  2 – 0  Lithuania
Koller  39', 62' (Report)

8 October 2010
Czech Republic  1 – 0  Scotland
Hubník  70' (Report)
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
Attendance: 19,000
Referee: Ivan Bebek (Croatia)

6 September 2013
Czech Republic  1 – 2  Armenia
Rosický  70' (Report) Mkrtchyan  31'
Ghazaryan  90'

5 March 2014
Czech Republic  2 – 2  Norway
Rosický  11'
Vydra  39'		 Elyounoussi  21'
Pedersen  88'
International Friendly
Attendance: 17,039
Referee: Cüneyt Cakir (Turkey)

5 June 2016
Czech Republic  1–2  South Korea
Marek Suchý  46' Yoon Bit-garam  26'
Suk Hyun-jun  40'
International Friendly
Attendance: 16,490
Referee: Daniel Stefanski (Poland)

Other uses

XV. slet in 2012

The stadium is occasionally used for other events beside football, such as concerts or other sports matches. In 2012, the Sokol slet, a mass gymnastics event, was held here.

The stadium was used for the final rugby matches of the 2008 and 2009–10 KB Extraliga seasons.[11][12]

There is a hotel and a fan shop in the northern stand, and various other facilities (bar, McDonald's, Komerční banka branch, offices) in the main stand.

List of concerts

DatePerformer(s)Reference
3 June 2008 Metallica [13]
8 August 2008 Iron Maiden [14]
17 August 2008 R.E.M. [15]
25 June 2009 Depeche Mode [16]
20 July 2010 P!nk [17]
7 May 2012 Metallica [18]
11 July 2012 Bruce Springsteen [19]
16 September 2012 Coldplay [20]
24 June 2013 Bon Jovi [21]
23 July 2013 Depeche Mode [22]
29 July 2013 Iron Maiden [23]
5 July 2016 Iron Maiden [24]

Transport

The stadium is served by buses and trams, with stops for both using the name Slavia. Trams 4, 7, 22 and 24 run along Vršovická street, north of the stadium, while bus services 135, 136, 150 and 213 stop on U Slavie street, immediately west of the stadium. The nearest metro station is Želivského.

References

  1. ↑ Land register at nahlizenidokn.cuzk.cz, Praha Vršovice č.p. 1540, sole owner Eden Arena, a.s., accessed 16 March 2015
  2. ↑ http://www.worldofstadiums.com/europe/czech-republic/eden-arena/
  3. ↑ "Wembley, Amsterdam ArenA, Prague get 2013 finals". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  4. ↑ "Return to Eden nears for Slavia". UEFA.com. 18 September 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Czech champions Slavia too strong for Blues". 12 May 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  6. ↑ "Čínský majitel Slavie získá stadion v Edenu, počítá s rekonstrukcí" [Chinese owner of Slavia acquires the Eden stadium, plans renovations]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Synot je partnerem stadionu v Edenu". ihned.cz (in Czech). Hospodářské noviny. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Když Slavia porazí Boleslav, bude mít před Spartou desetibodový náskok". idnes.cz (in Czech). Mladá fronta DNES. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "Stadion v Edenu ve většině patří Natlandu". denik.cz (in Czech). Vltava-Labe-Press. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  10. ↑ Malý, Jan; Káninský, Josef (15 February 2012). "Slavia přijde o miliony od Synotu". ihned.cz (in Czech). Hospodářské noviny. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  11. ↑ Ragbisté Tatry Smíchov ve finále extraligy porazili Říčany a obhájili titul (Czech)
  12. ↑ Mistrem ligy se stala po devětatřiceti letech Slavia (Czech)
  13. ↑ Martin Divíšek (3 June 2008). "OBRAZEM: Metallica dobyla Eden". denik.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  14. ↑ Grzegorz Klatka (8 August 2008). "OBRAZEM: Iron Maiden zaplnili Eden". denik.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  15. ↑ Michal Bystrov (18 August 2008). "Nedělní procházka po Měsíci s R.E.M.". denik.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  16. ↑ Tomáš S. Polívka (26 June 2009). "Depeche Mode zahráli bez šance na omyl". denik.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  17. ↑ ČTK (21 July 2010). "Pink hrála moc nahlas, pořadatele prý čeká pokuta". denik.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  18. ↑ http://www.novinky.cz/kultura/266953-metallica-privezla-cernou-desku-a-zvitezila.html
  19. ↑ http://www.novinky.cz/kultura/251761-v-praze-zahraje-bruce-springsteen-a-e-street-band.html
  20. ↑ http://www.ticketpro.cz/jnp/en/hudba/rock/771234-coldplay.html
  21. ↑ http://www.eventim.cz/vstupenky-bon-jovi.html?affiliate=ECZ&doc=artistPages%2Ftickets&fun=artist&action=tickets&erid=516311
  22. ↑ http://www.ticketpro.cz/jnp/en/hudba/tanecni-elektronicka-hudba/959185-depeche-mode.html
  23. ↑ Iron Maiden (29 July 2013). "Iron Maiden to play Czech Republic". Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  24. ↑ Iron Maiden (5 July 2016). "Iron Maiden to play Czech Republic". Retrieved 11 November 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stadion Eden.
Preceded by
Stade Louis II
Monaco		 UEFA Super Cup
Host Venue
2013 		Succeeded by
Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff
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