On May 10, 12 and 14, the two semifinals and the finale of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) will be held in the ESPRIT arena in Düsseldorf. Over 100,000 people will be able to watch these three ESC events and the so-called “jury finale”, Friday evening’s public dress rehearsal for the finale, live in the arena during the ESC week.
“Two things enabled Düsseldorf to score big: its arena and its surroundings,” noted Thomas Schreiber, head of the ARD team for the ESC, commenting on the decision to hold the television event in Düsseldorf. Düsseldorf, the capital of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and its ESPRIT arena beat out the German cities of Hamburg, Hanover and Berlin. One reason why it was chosen was because it offered the television station with the primary responsibility for broadcasting this year’s ESC, the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), the best production conditions and high seating capacity. Another equally important reason for choosing the city of Düsseldorf to host the event was because of the benefits it offers, such as its central location in the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, home to 11.5 million people, its widespread popularity among international visitors, and its international airport. The ESC, the world’s biggest television entertainment show, promised to be one of the biggest media events in the history of the city.
The ESPRIT arena in Düsseldorf: ideal for ESC
The city of Düsseldorf, with a population of just under 600,000, has something that the other cities in the running can’t offer: a multi-purpose arena with a total seating capacity of up to 66,000 for concerts. The ESPRIT arena’s mobile roof converts the arena into a closed and opaque hall practically at the push of a button, making it perfect for television events like ESC. The ESPRIT arena provides approximately 51,500 covered seats with an optimal view of the action on stage.
State-of-the-art technical control panels equipped with the latest computer technologies ensure that visitors enjoy fresh air and pleasant temperatures inside, even in the dead of winter. This is achieved using a combination of gas radiators, a hot air circulation system, and industrial panel heating installed in the floor of the ESPRIT arena. So even if temperatures plummet to -10° centigrade outside, the ESPRIT arena can be heated to a comfortable 15° centigrade inside. “Our guests should only get the shivers because the shows are so exciting,“ exclaims Hilmar Guckert, management spokesperson of DüsseldorfCongress, the company that operates the ESPRIT arena.
Hilmar Guckert adds, “The NDR praised the television production conditions for the ESC and gives the arena’s acoustics high marks.“ The ESPRIT arena’s 40-meter high ceiling also provides ideal conditions for stage sets and the lighting and sound equipment required to put on the perfect show.
Transportation access to the ESPRIT arena, one of the most modern multi-purpose arenas in Europe, is equally impressive. Whether by public transportation, by car, or by airplane, getting to the ESPRIT arena could hardly be easier. It has its own subway stop, 20,000 parking spots, and is within easy reach of the Düsseldorf International Airport.
The ESPRIT arena was officially opened on January 7, 2005 with a concert by Herbert Grönemeyer. Other highlights in its six-year history include hosting the 2005 World Youth Day, on which 51,000 pilgrims from across the world attended the opening service, sold-out concerts by international rock stars such as Madonna, Bon Jovi, Phil Collins, and the Rolling Stones, and of course thrilling soccer games, such as the DFB international soccer matches against Argentina, Switzerland and Norway. Another spectacular event was the boxing match between Wladimir Klitschko and Eddie Chambers held at the ESPRIT arena in March, 2010 and the Race of Champions with Formula One world champions Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher.
The ESPRIT arena is marketed by DüsseldorfCongress Veranstaltungsgesellschaft Ltd., whose portfolio includes nine other venues in addition to the ESPRIT arena.
Behind the scenes: ESC preparations are running full steam ahead
If it weren’t for the Eurovision Song Contest, the ESPRIT arena would currently be hosting the games of the second division team Fortuna Düsseldorf. The team is relocating to a mobile reserve stadium for the last three games of this season, which was built directly next to the ESPRIT arena in just two months time.
“The arena is needed for the ESC for a six-week period,“ explains Guckert. NDR will start building the stage and setting up equipment on April 6. Everything related to soccer in the arena has been removed, such as the turf and the topsoil. The ceiling has been drawn closed and the standing-room bleechers have been switched over to seating. After a three-week set-up period, the rehearsal marathon will begin. A total of 43 delegations are making their way to Düsseldorf and they all have to hold rehearsals and dress rehearsals before the first show on May 10. These rehearsals will follow a tight schedule starting on May 1. In addition to the 1,000 delegations members, approximately 2,500 international journalists are expected in Düsseldorf. The track-and-field center directly next to the arena will be converted into a press center, providing optimal working conditions for media representatives, including 700 offices and a separate press conference room for 500 guests.
Düsseldorf will be in the international spotlight
The city of Düsseldorf submitted a comprehensive concept when it applied to host the Eurovision Song Contest and was awarded the bid on October 12, 2010. This is a big compliment to the city on the Rhine, which trumped the German cities of Berlin and Hamburg, as well as Lena’s home turf, Hanover. What does Düsseldorf have to offer and what makes it so special?
“Düsseldorf is a true magnet. It’s no accident that the city is recognized as one of the most popular cities in the world for its quality of life, as proven by the 2010 Mercer ranking,“ says Guckert. Düsseldorf is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia and thus the political headquarters of the most populous German state, with 18 million residents. Düsseldorf is also one of the leading economic centers in Germany and the center of the most highly concentrated academic and research hubs in Europe. The cosmopolitan city’s artistic and cultural offerings, including countless museums, galleries, theaters, concert halls, cabaret stages, and of course the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, draw visitors from all over the world.
The city’s historic center, the Altstadt, is alive with a boisterous sense of enjoyment and celebration. Its nearly 300 bars, restaurants, coffee houses, cocktail bars and breweries have earned the Altstadt the nickname “the longest bar in the world.“ “The media harbor’s modern architecture and top restaurants are cherished by Germans and by foreign visitors alike, as are the many parks and green spaces, for which Düsseldorf has often been recognized. And of course, lest we forget, the Königsallee is a superlative unto itself – the Königsallee is the most attractive luxury shopping street with the highest sales in Germany,“ Guckert explains. Düsseldorf also plays a first-class role in the world of sports, regularly hosting internationally important sporting events, such as the FIS cross-country skiing world cup, ice hockey, tennis, horse racing and soccer.
'Düsseldorf is more popular than ever,' glowed Düsseldorf’s mayor, Dirk Elbers, at the recent annual media conversation at the tourism fair ITB. 'Düsseldorf is achieving fantastic figures in terms of foreign overnight stays. This underscores our beautiful city’s standing as a city with international appeal,' Düsseldorf’s mayor adds.
According the state statistical office, there were a total of just under 3.6 million overnight stays in Düsseldorf in 2010 - more than ever before. Foreign overnight stays in the city were up nearly 17 percent from 2009, yielding a nearly 40 percent share of total overnight stays. On a national level, in comparison, foreign overnight stays make up only 15 percent of total overnight stays.
The city on the Rhine is currently especially popular among tourists from Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, the USA, Italy and Russia. In addition, there has been an especially large growth in visitors from Belgium, the Arab Gulf states, and China in the past five years.
Düsseldorf International Airport
The Düsseldorf International Airport has contributed significantly to these positive developments in tourism as well as to Düsseldorf’s overall economic boom. In 2010, just shy of 19 million passengers traveled through the airport, and a total of 206,500 airplanes took off and landed in Düsseldorf, making it the largest airport in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. There are non-stop flights from Düsseldorf International Airport with 67 airlines to 187 destinations worldwide.
The airport plays an important role for the 43 national delegations and the many fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. There are direct flights to Düsseldorf from most participating countries, and from several (up to 16) cities in many of those countries, such as Great Britain, Spain, Russia, Greece and Turkey.
'We are the first point of contact that the majority of participants and visitors will have with Düsseldorf as the host city of the international music competition, and with the ESC itself,” says Christoph Blume, spokesperson of the managing board of the airport, illustrating the significance of Düsseldorf International. “We want the ESC participants and visitors to feel good from the minute they arrive in Düsseldorf. As soon as they arrive to the airport, they will receive lots of tips at the welcome desk or from volunteers so that they get their bearings more quickly. This will ensure that everyone gets off to an optimal start to a great event – starting at the airport,' explains Blume.
Düsseldorf is becoming an event city
“Especially in the past five years, the city of Düsseldorf has gone through a rapid transformation with regard to its attractiveness,“ summarizes Hilmar Guckert. “Düsseldorf unites various facets: media city, economic metropolis, travel destination, but also congress and event city. DüsseldorfCongress hosts internationally important congresses such as the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) or the International Steel Packaging Congress and also mega-events like the Eurovision Song Contest this May.“
After 28 years, the ESC will be taking place again in Germany this year, for the third time following 1957 and 1983. Düsseldorfers are already enraptured by the ESC. More than 500 volunteers will be supporting the ESC in the city and countless Düsseldorfers are providing private accommodations for influx of international guests.
Approximately 34,000 fans will be watching the European Song Contest finale live on May 14, 2011 and around 120 million more will watching the mega-event on television, their gaze cast toward Düsseldorf and into the ESPRIT arena, waiting to hear “12 points go to…“.
