NEW APPEARANCE OF THE OLD ARENA

Azerbaijan's biggest stadium, the arena named after the legendary referee Tofiq Bahramov, is closing for renovation. Due to the restoration the stadium, which has been hosting club and national team competitions for 60 years, is shutting its doors for a while. Showing their skill in it will now be construction workers, not players and fans. The games of the Azerbaijan national team against Belgium and Kazakhstan and domestic championship matches involving Neftchi and Baki clubs were played in the stadium in September. But no matches will be played starting November due to the replacement of grass.

During the overhaul and reconstruction, to be carried out in accordance with an order signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, all the attributes of the stadium referring to the Soviet period will be replaced. According to the director of the stadium, Akif Ismayilov, the emblem of the USSR will be removed from the main entrance and other locations. The view of the stadium from above may also be changed because the arena was originally built in the form of letter C in honor of Joseph Stalin. The appearance of the stadium will also depend on the plan of the reconstruction. The stands will be covered so that the fans could watch the games regardless of the vagaries of the weather. The refurbishment is scheduled for completion in March 2012. The surface of the pitch, plastic seats and the stairs are to be replaced. Also to be reconstructed are changing rooms, showers and restrooms, the press center and other facilities, while the children's pitch will be rebuilt and covered.

The entrance to the stadium and surrounding areas will have a modern appearance. The construction of a hotel for the athletes and guests is a possibility. It has not been decided yet how many floors it will have. The refurbishment will be carried out by a Korean company, while the turf will be replaced by a Bulgarian firm. Akif Ismayilov said excavation and concreting work at the stadium had already begun. The trees and other plantings hampering the process of construction are being transplanted to other locations.

Currently, the stadium has 29,870 seats, while after the renovation the number will be reduced to 29 000. Instead, the VIP area will be expanded. Fitted with special equipment, it will consist of 10 sections with 10 seats each. These areas will have air-conditioning, eating places and toilets. The seats are also to be replaced. A discussion is currently under way as to which seats to use. According to the director of the stadium, a special system of equipment protection will be introduced after the reconstruction. Security service employees will monitor the situation at the stadium during the games to prevent damage to equipment. If fans of any club damage seats, their teams will be fined. After repairs, the stadium will have modern retail facilities.

One of the key tasks is associated with the grass surface. A special heating system is to be installed underneath the new surface. In cold weather it will help keep the lawn green. Naturally, the grass will grow even in cold weather. A total of 10 million manats have been allocated for the reconstruction of the T. Bahramov stadium from the Presidential Reserve Fund. 

HISTORICAL NOTE 

The official opening of the Tofiq Bahramov stadium was held on 16 October 1951. Its construction began in 1939, but due to the outbreak of the Second World War the work was suspended. Only 12 years later was the arena put into operation. German POWs were involved in the construction of the stadium