Amsterdam Arena

Amsterdam Arena (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɑms.tər.ˈdɑm a.ˈreɪ̯.na], often stylized as Amsterdam ArenA) is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events. The stadium has a retractable roof combined with a grass surface. It has a capacity of 52,342 seats during football matches and 68,000 places during concerts if a centre-stage setup is used (the stage in the middle of the pitch); for end-stage concerts, the capacity is 50,000, and for concerts where the stage is located in the east side of the stadium, the capacity is 35,000. It held UEFA five-star stadium status which was superseded by a new system of classification. It has been announced that the Amsterdam Arena will host the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final.

The stadium is the home of the association football club AFC Ajax (1996–present) and was the home of the now-defunct American football club Amsterdam Admirals (1996–2007). It was one of the stadiums used during Euro 2000. Both international and Dutch artists gave concerts in the ArenA, including Celine Dion, Madonna, Michael Jackson, André Hazes and The Rolling Stones. Dance event Sensation is held in the stadium every year.

Amsterdam-Zuidoost is one of fifteen boroughs (stadsdelen) of the city of Amsterdam. It consists of four residential areas—Bijlmermeer, Venserpolder, Gaasperdam and Driemond—as well as the Amstel III/Bullewijk Business Park and the ArenA Boulevard area.

Amsterdam-Zuidoost has approximately 86,000 inhabitants, living in some 38,000 houses.^{[citation needed]} 30% of the inhabitants of Amsterdam-Zuidoost are of Dutch origin, 30% of Surinam origin, 23% of African origin, 6% of Dutch Antillian origin and 2% of Moroccan origin.^{[citation needed]}

Geographically, Amsterdam-Zuidoost is an exclave of Amsterdam—not directly bordering any other borough of the city.

Amsterdam-Zuidoost is served by bus, metro and NS rail services. Duivendrecht and Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA stations serve the very north of the borough; Amsterdam Holendrecht railway station serves the Academic Medical Center as well its surrounding area. Amsterdam Metro lines 50, 53 and 54 also serve the borough.