Stuttgart’s Gottlieb Daimler Stadium is one of few in Germany that is currently not bearing the name of a corporation. This will change on July 30th, when a friendly with Arsenal London will inaugurate the new Mercedes Benz Arena. The deal will guarantee Mercedes a 30 year leas on the stadium name for about 20 million Euros.
The stadium was renovated recently in preperation for the 2006 World Cup, but there are currently plans to demolish it and build a brand new 60,000-seater in 2009 – this time without an athletics track. The new, yet to be approved by local authorities, stadium would cost 93 million Euros and be completed in 2011.