Workers begin to demolish the old Qemal Stafa national stadium in Tirana, Thursday, June 9, 2016. Destruction of Albaniaâs 70-year old Qemal Stafa stadium has begun to leave its place to a new 22,300-seat National Arena in three yearsâ time. Bulldozers were making the first work while other employees were moving the seats, all to be taken to other local stadiums in the country. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
The Associated Press
TIRANA, Albania (AP) - The destruction of 70-year old Qemal Stafa Stadium in Albania has begun to make way for a new 22,300-seat National Arena.
Bulldozers were busy on the site on Thursday, while the seats were being removed to be placed in other stadiums in the country.
The 50 million euro ($56.5 million) project, to be finished in three years, has been controversial because the new, slightly bigger arena was combined with shopping, entertainment, bars and a hotel in the capital Tirana.
It's the latest stadium project by the government, which renewed the stadium in Elbasan, 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the capital, in 2013 for European Championship qualifiers, and was reconstructing another stadium in the northern city of Shkodra.
Albania surprisingly qualified for Euro 2016, which starts on Friday.
Workers begin to demolish the old Qemal Stafa national stadium in Tirana, Thursday, June 9, 2016. Destruction of Albaniaâs 70-year old Qemal Stafa stadium has begun to leave its place to a new 22,300-seat National Arena in three yearsâ time. Bulldozers were making the first work while other employees were moving the seats, all to be taken to other local stadiums in the country. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
The Associated Press
Albanian workers move the old seats from the old Qemal Stafa national stadium in Tirana that started to be destroyed Thursday, June 9, 2016. Destruction of Albaniaâs 70-year old Qemal Stafa stadium has begun to leave its place to a new 22,300-seat National Arena in three yearsâ time. Bulldozers were making the first work while other employees were moving the seats, all to be taken to other local stadiums in the country. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
The Associated Press