We’re just days from final delivery of Arena Lublin, the newest stadium in Poland. Letter-fitting began on the western façade ahead of next week’s illumination tests. Opening event is scheduled for September.

Stadion Miejski w Lublinie (or in English the Municipal Stadium in Lublin) is no more. Or at least the formal name is no more, because city officials decided to call the stadium in a more modern fashion. Arena Lublin will be the official name from now on, possibly joined by a commercial part in the near future.

The city hasn’t finalized any naming rights deal as of yet, but recent weeks so numerous statements from the magistrate suggesting a contract is on the horizon. Lublin authorities are still in talks with an unidentified number of potential sponsors.

Photo: UM Lublin

While the municipality seeks its commercial partner, the new publicly-owned 15,500-seat stadium is almost ready. Current work progress is said to be over 98% as fitting of the large (almost 2 meters high) letters began this week on the façade.

Each letter will be white and bordered with red neon lights. Together with green nighttime illumination of the entire building, the stadium will showcase all three colours of the city at night. That layout, however, is reserved only for non-event days.

For evenings with crowds inside, the stadium has already 8 colorful combinations to display outside. When local club Motor is playing, the stadium goes yellow-blue. When Polish national team comes, it’s white-red. For concerts the palette is much wider and other sets can be created. Tests on façade illumination are to begin next week, while floodlights have been checked in late June.

Overall work on the stadium should end in two weeks, before the beginning of August. Already now some areas are being cleaned after delivery and tests are ran before safety inspectors come in to check the building.

Rendering: UM Lublin

First event at the stadium is scheduled for September 13, when a mass concert will be held. Then local science fair comes in and on October 9 the football opening is expected. U20 teams of Poland and Italy will take the stage and later leave the stadium for two local sides Motor and Lublinianka. Both are currently in the fourth league and extremely unlikely to fill the stadium on a regular basis. However, the regular use will begin with a very interesting Lublin derby between the two on October 25/26.

Construction of the new stadium was launched in December 2012 and is almost delivered on time. Current deadline stands at July 31, while initial one was June 30. Priced at PLN 140 million (€34m / $46m), it’s considered very good value for money, offering various facilities for commercial use throughout the week. The design was carried out by Polish-Spanish team of Estudio Lamela, though not along the initial concept, which was judged ‘too edgy’ by municipal officials.