Estadio El Campín

Estadio Nemesio Camacho
El Campín
Location	Bogotá, Colombia
Opened	14 August 1938
Renovated	2010-2011
Owner	IDRD
Surface	Grass
Architect	Ing. Federico Leder Müller
Website	ElCampin.com
Tenants
Millonarios & Independiente Santa Fe seating_capacity = 41,343

The Nemesio Camacho Stadium, commonly known as El Campín, is the main stadium of Bogotá, Colombia. It is the home ground of the Independiente Santa Fe and Millonarios association football teams.

The stadium is named after Nemesio Camacho, former manager of the then-existing streetcar system of Bogotá and also the father of Luis Camacho, the person who offered the land where the stadium would be constructed. The name Campín comes from a modification of the word "camping" because the area where the stadium currently stands was formerly a camping zone. It entered service as a football stadium around 1946, just in time to host /he first national club tournament. Its actual capacity is of 41,343 seated spectators. It was used as the final venue for Copa América 2001, where the Colombian Team were crowned champions of the American continent defeating special guest Mexico 1-0. This stadium was one of the eight stadiums of the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup held by Colombia and hosted its closing ceremony.

History

Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, then mayor of Bogotá, in 1934 had the idea to build a stadium for the joy of Bogotá's townspeople, taking advantage of the occasion provided by Bogotá's 400th anniversary, and also to host the Bolivarian Games of 1938; up to that moment the only major football ground in the city was "La Merced" ground, a relatively small one. Shortly after, then councilman Luis Camacho offered a land to the city of Bogotá where the new stadium could be constructed.

At the time of the first Colombian Professional Football championship (1948), the stadium's capacity was of 23.500 seated persons. The stadium has been remodelled many times, and although the stadium's maximum capacity was of 62.500 at 1968, the capacity has been decreased over time through many other remodelations.

The first game hosted in this ground was a soccer match between Ecuador and Colombia, on August 10, 1938, where Colombia was defeated with a score of 2–1. Millonarios has played in "El Campín" as their home ground since 1938, Santa Fe since 1951. El Campín has been used several times to host matches of the Colombian football team, most notably the Copa América 2001 final against Mexico. This stadium is one of the many football grounds that could be affected by FIFA's decision to forbid playing international football in places located above 2500 meters above sea level, but due to requests to change this decision, FIFA has allowed international FIFA games in this stadium.

Concerts

Main article: List of concerts held at El Campin Stadium

Until the field was renewed in 2005, many musical concerts were held in the stadium. Concerts and any type of cultural events were then banned to protect the grass on the field. Concerts were then held at the Simón Bolívar Park, Palacio de los Deportes Arena, El Campin Arena, Plaza de Toros de Santamaria, Jaime Duque Park and Corferias.

December 15, 2011 the Congress approved a law that requires mayors to provide the use of stadiums in all Colombian cities at least once a month. Days later president Juan Manuel Santos approved the law. In consequence, since 2012 the stadium can be used again as venue for cultural events and it opens the possibility for great international singers to perform in Bogota in 2012.

The Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Sport and the Institute for Recreation and Sport (IDRD), tested techniques to determine the impact of large events on the grass of the sports arena. The tests look for, for example, reproduce a similar situation of a massive show with assistance. "The first stage of the test consisted of pruning, surveying, geotechnical engineering and agronomy of 100 square meters of turf," said District. It was also installed protective devices that distribute weight and allow photosynthesis without public contact with the grass. Then it was installed a stage and 400 graduates of the police auxiliary entered into the field, which were located on the elements of turf protection, it was obtained a density of four people per square meter, which is the density presented at massive events. The staff entered at 4:00 pm and stayed until 10:00 pm. y

March 8, 2012 the Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Sport confirmed that the stadium can be again, after 4 years, the venue of concerts and cultural events. On March 15, 2012 concert producer Fernan Martinez and Bogota Mayor (Gustavo Petro) confirmed that Paul McCartney will perform with his On the Run Tour on April 19, 2012 at the stadium. On March 27 at 4:00 p.m. tickets for the concert became available in TuBoleta and at 5:30 p.m. 75% of the tickets were already sold. It is expected for the show to sold all the tickets in less than 24 hours. In March 27 tickets started to be sold at 4:00 p.m. and one hour and a half later 75% of the tickets were already sold. 24 hours after 90% of the tickets were already sold.

Lady Gaga performed with her The Born This Way Ball on November 6, 2012 at the stadium in front of 30,546 people.

Justin Bieber is scheduled to perform for the first time ever in Colombia on October 29, 2013 in the Estadio El Campin during his Believe Tour

British boyband One Direction will perform in the stadium for the very first time in Colombia on April 25, 2014 during their Where We Are Stadium Tour 2014.

Shakira is the artist who hace performed more times in the stadium , she has performed 5 times since her first tour.

Some of the most important concerts that were held in the stadium are:

• 1973 – James Brown
• 1988 – Concierto de Conciertos
• 1988 – Quiet Riot
• 1991 – Information Society
• Guns N' Roses - November 28 & 29, 1992
• Pet Shop Boys - November 26, 1994
• Bon Jovi - November 3, 1995
• Luciano Pavarotti - February 2, 1995
• UB40 - September 3, 1995
• Elton John - November 18, 1995
• 1996 – Placido Domingo
• Fito Páez, Charly García & Mercedes Sosa - June 21, 1997
• 1997 – Celia Cruz
• Alejandro Sanz - February 20, 2001
• Alanis Morissette - September 13, 2003
• Maná - April 5, 2003
• The Offspring - October 29, 2004
• Luis Miguel - October 20, 2004
• Chayanne - April 24, 2004
• Sean Paul & Don Omar - September 18 2004
• The Black Eyed Peas & Smash Mouth - November 18, 2005
• Paul McCartney - April 19, 2012
• Lady Gaga - November 6, 2012

Date	Performer(s)	Tour	Notes
28 November 1992	Guns N' Roses	Use Your Illusion Tour	Cancelled
29 November 1992
26 November 1994	Pet Shop Boys	Discovery Tour
2 February 1995	Luciano Pavarotti
3 September 1995	UB40
3 November 1995	Bon Jovi	These Days Tour
18 November 1995	Elton John & Sheryl Crow
25 April 2014	One Direction	Where We Are Stadium Tour

References

Preceded by Cairo International Stadium Cairo	FIFA U-20 World Cup Final Venue 2011	Succeeded by TBA
Preceded by Estadio Defensores del Chaco Asunción	Copa América Final Venue 2001	Succeeded by Estadio Nacional Lima
Preceded by Vacant ( Two-legged finals )	Superliga Colombiana Final Venue 2013	Succeeded by TBA