NP3 Arena, Football stadium in Sundsvall, Sweden.
NP3 Arena is a football stadium in Sundsvall with a FIFA-certified artificial grass pitch measuring 105 by 68 meters. The field has an integrated irrigation system, and the venue holds around 8,500 spectators with 8,000 seats, including 5,000 covered positions in the northern and southern sections.
Idrottsparken was inaugurated on 6 August 1903, the same year GIF Sundsvall was founded, and originally included running tracks, skittle alleys, shooting ranges and tennis courts. The old main stand, known as "holken", was designed by city fire chief Ebbe Crone and stood from 1930/31 until it was demolished on 4 July 2001. The venue was re-inaugurated by King Carl XVI Gustaf on 9 June 2002 after a major renovation.
The ground hosts GIF Sundsvall and Sundsvalls DFF, and between 1969 and 1973 it was also home to Selånger SK's bandy team in the top division, which brought floodlights to the venue. Since summer 2017 the Sensommar festival has been held here, and the concert record of 22,337 was set by Gyllene Tider on 13 August 2004.
The main stand on the south side and the north stand are the covered sections; the rest of the ground is open to the weather. The pitch has been artificial turf since 2004, so matches are played on it year-round. The ground lies by Universitetsallén, a short walk from central Sundsvall.
The north stand was capped in height for safety reasons in 1973–1974, when the pitch was enlarged and under-soil heating installed; bandy then moved to Gärde and athletics to Baldershovs IP. The old main stand, nicknamed "holken", was a wooden and concrete structure by fire chief Ebbe Crone, clad in light-red panelling, and was demolished on 4 July 2001.
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