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Unity Arena
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Unity Arena
Unity Arena, previously known as Telenor Arena and Fornebu Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena located at Fornebu in Bærum, outside Oslo, Norway. It serves as a venue for a variety of events, including concerts, exhibitions, action shows, family shows, TV and sport. It has a capacity for 15,000 spectators for sports and 25,000 for concerts, including 40 luxury boxes and club seating for 1,200. The venue has a fixed roof and an asphalt floor. The venue was opened ahead of the 2009 Norwegian football season as a replacement for Nadderud Stadion. It cost 585 million Norwegian kroner (NOK) to build, of which NOK 300 million was for the sports venue. The arena hosted the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship with the country, Croatia and Denmark, including the final.
During the 2000s, Nadderud was below standards for play in the top national league. Fornebu was at the time undergoing an urban redevelopment; after several years of negotiations and public grants, Stabæk secured a lot in 2004. Construction started in 2007. In 2010, a disagreement arose between the club and venue-owner Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen, with the latter demanding that the team leave the venue to allow for more event revenue. Telenor Arena has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, as well as concerts by artists and bands of international fame, such as Madonna, Britney Spears, The Weeknd, Tina Turner, Adele, Muse, Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters, Roger Waters (the Wall tour), Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Iron Maiden, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion and Drake.
Stabæk traditionally has played their home games at Nadderud Stadion, a municipal multi-purpose stadium at Bekkestua. Following the club's rapid ascent from lower divisions to the top league during the first half of the 1990s, Nadderud became in need of upgrades, resulting in a new main grandstand opening in 1996. The stadium remained severely lacking adequate facilities for professional football, and fell short of increasing requirements from the Football Association of Norway (NFF).
Originally, a redevelopment of Nadderud was proposed, but in 1999 Stabæk players launched the idea of building a new stadium at Fornebu, which became subject to an urban redevelopment project after the 1998 closing of Oslo Airport, Fornebu. The initial proposal was named Blue Dream Arena, would have seating for 25,000 spectators, blue artificial turf and a retractable roof. Other proposed amenities were movable seating which would also allow the stadium to both host athletics and be configured as an intimate football stadium. The idea called for Bruce Springsteen to hold a concert before the first match, which would be played against Barcelona. Several of the initial concepts of the stadium were never materialized. International rules disallowed blue artificial turf; instead, the flooring in the boxes were made in a blue, artificial turf-inspired material. Also the idea of having a retractable roof was discarded, both because of technical difficulties and cost issues.
In May 2001, Oslo City Council voted to sell their properties at Fornebu to Fornebu Boligspar (FB), which again had agreements to sell a lot for the stadium to Stabæk. In November 2002, Borgarting Court of Appeal concluded that Norrønafly had the right to continue leasing a hangar—located at the planned location of the venue—until 2014. In June 2003, Stabæk was in financial difficulties, and investor Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen bought shares for NOK 10 million to avoid bankruptcy; these shares had the option to be converted to shares in the arena company.
Fornebu Boligspar later determined that it was more profitable to build apartments at the arena site. Negotiations started between the club, the property company and Mayor Odd Reinsfelt. In November 2003, it was announced that a compromise was reached whereby Fornebu Boligspar would give the lot free to Stabæk, in exchange for a lot nearby. Two weeks later the compromise was rejected by FB. A new compromise was announced on 29 June 2004, whereby FB would give 50 million Norwegian krone (NOK) and a lot free to Stabæk in exchange for the commercial properties which would be part of the stadium. However, the following day the parties announced that they were not able to agree on the risk, as Stabæk demanded that FB take the full risk in the project.
Instead, Stabæk started negotiating with IT Fornebu to take over a lot they owned. They needed a 300 hectares (740 acres) lot which would have a market value of between NOK 60 and 80 million, and Reinsfelt stated that the municipality was willing to help by "maneuver in gray areas within the margins". The club was further pressured by NFF, who were going to limit the exceptions allowed for Nadderud and other stadiums not meeting their criteria. On 29 October, FB and Stabæk signed an agreement whereby Stabæk received a free lot and NOK 50 million, in exchange for FB taking over the commercial properties. The condition was that the municipality allowed a more dense use of the rest of FB's area. This would require a re-regulation of the area, and Reinsfelt estimated that it would not be possible for construction to start until 2006. In November, UEFA changed the rules for artificial turf to state that it had to be green. Until Stabæk's proposal was made, UEFA had not thought that anyone would build a pitch with a non-green turf, and representatives stated that it was because of Stabæk the rule change was made. The plans were nearly terminated in October 2006, after discussion about the planned Fornebu Line—a people mover which would connect Fornebu to Lysaker—stopped the regulation plan. However, in November the final permissions were granted by Bærum Municipality. On 22 December, Stabæk announced that the financing was secured.
Architects were HRTB and the main contractor was NCC Construction. While domed stadiums have been common in North America, no such stadiums of comparable size of Telenor Arena had previously been built for football in Europe. Construction started by demolishing a hangar, which was completed in February 2007. However, because of the building boom, concrete elements needed for construction to start meant that the rest of the construction was delayed. The cornerstone was laid on 5 September.
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Unity Arena
Unity Arena, previously known as Telenor Arena and Fornebu Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena located at Fornebu in Bærum, outside Oslo, Norway. It serves as a venue for a variety of events, including concerts, exhibitions, action shows, family shows, TV and sport. It has a capacity for 15,000 spectators for sports and 25,000 for concerts, including 40 luxury boxes and club seating for 1,200. The venue has a fixed roof and an asphalt floor. The venue was opened ahead of the 2009 Norwegian football season as a replacement for Nadderud Stadion. It cost 585 million Norwegian kroner (NOK) to build, of which NOK 300 million was for the sports venue. The arena hosted the 2025 World Men's Handball Championship with the country, Croatia and Denmark, including the final.
During the 2000s, Nadderud was below standards for play in the top national league. Fornebu was at the time undergoing an urban redevelopment; after several years of negotiations and public grants, Stabæk secured a lot in 2004. Construction started in 2007. In 2010, a disagreement arose between the club and venue-owner Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen, with the latter demanding that the team leave the venue to allow for more event revenue. Telenor Arena has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, as well as concerts by artists and bands of international fame, such as Madonna, Britney Spears, The Weeknd, Tina Turner, Adele, Muse, Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters, Roger Waters (the Wall tour), Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Iron Maiden, Metallica, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion and Drake.
Stabæk traditionally has played their home games at Nadderud Stadion, a municipal multi-purpose stadium at Bekkestua. Following the club's rapid ascent from lower divisions to the top league during the first half of the 1990s, Nadderud became in need of upgrades, resulting in a new main grandstand opening in 1996. The stadium remained severely lacking adequate facilities for professional football, and fell short of increasing requirements from the Football Association of Norway (NFF).
Originally, a redevelopment of Nadderud was proposed, but in 1999 Stabæk players launched the idea of building a new stadium at Fornebu, which became subject to an urban redevelopment project after the 1998 closing of Oslo Airport, Fornebu. The initial proposal was named Blue Dream Arena, would have seating for 25,000 spectators, blue artificial turf and a retractable roof. Other proposed amenities were movable seating which would also allow the stadium to both host athletics and be configured as an intimate football stadium. The idea called for Bruce Springsteen to hold a concert before the first match, which would be played against Barcelona. Several of the initial concepts of the stadium were never materialized. International rules disallowed blue artificial turf; instead, the flooring in the boxes were made in a blue, artificial turf-inspired material. Also the idea of having a retractable roof was discarded, both because of technical difficulties and cost issues.
In May 2001, Oslo City Council voted to sell their properties at Fornebu to Fornebu Boligspar (FB), which again had agreements to sell a lot for the stadium to Stabæk. In November 2002, Borgarting Court of Appeal concluded that Norrønafly had the right to continue leasing a hangar—located at the planned location of the venue—until 2014. In June 2003, Stabæk was in financial difficulties, and investor Kjell Chr. Ulrichsen bought shares for NOK 10 million to avoid bankruptcy; these shares had the option to be converted to shares in the arena company.
Fornebu Boligspar later determined that it was more profitable to build apartments at the arena site. Negotiations started between the club, the property company and Mayor Odd Reinsfelt. In November 2003, it was announced that a compromise was reached whereby Fornebu Boligspar would give the lot free to Stabæk, in exchange for a lot nearby. Two weeks later the compromise was rejected by FB. A new compromise was announced on 29 June 2004, whereby FB would give 50 million Norwegian krone (NOK) and a lot free to Stabæk in exchange for the commercial properties which would be part of the stadium. However, the following day the parties announced that they were not able to agree on the risk, as Stabæk demanded that FB take the full risk in the project.
Instead, Stabæk started negotiating with IT Fornebu to take over a lot they owned. They needed a 300 hectares (740 acres) lot which would have a market value of between NOK 60 and 80 million, and Reinsfelt stated that the municipality was willing to help by "maneuver in gray areas within the margins". The club was further pressured by NFF, who were going to limit the exceptions allowed for Nadderud and other stadiums not meeting their criteria. On 29 October, FB and Stabæk signed an agreement whereby Stabæk received a free lot and NOK 50 million, in exchange for FB taking over the commercial properties. The condition was that the municipality allowed a more dense use of the rest of FB's area. This would require a re-regulation of the area, and Reinsfelt estimated that it would not be possible for construction to start until 2006. In November, UEFA changed the rules for artificial turf to state that it had to be green. Until Stabæk's proposal was made, UEFA had not thought that anyone would build a pitch with a non-green turf, and representatives stated that it was because of Stabæk the rule change was made. The plans were nearly terminated in October 2006, after discussion about the planned Fornebu Line—a people mover which would connect Fornebu to Lysaker—stopped the regulation plan. However, in November the final permissions were granted by Bærum Municipality. On 22 December, Stabæk announced that the financing was secured.
Architects were HRTB and the main contractor was NCC Construction. While domed stadiums have been common in North America, no such stadiums of comparable size of Telenor Arena had previously been built for football in Europe. Construction started by demolishing a hangar, which was completed in February 2007. However, because of the building boom, concrete elements needed for construction to start meant that the rest of the construction was delayed. The cornerstone was laid on 5 September.
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