But an important condition is still attached to that decision. The renovation costs twenty -three million guilders, but only continues if the stadium itself sets five million. It has less than three months for that. And so, of course, under the leadership of Kranenberg, there will be a general public campaign. For a tenner you can buy a brick from the stadium, a chair for two hundred and fifty guilders.
Kranenberg gets the money together on time. But about the way in which the former CEO Van Amstel and Heineken does that, former alderman Stadig now comes with a striking unveiling. “The five million mainly came from Heineken.”
And that statement is confirmed by Nibbering: “That is staddy at the right end. A large part of it was paid by Freddy Heineken. Half or almost half. Piet Kranenberg then said to me:” Mr. Nibbering, we don’t talk about this and nobody is allowed to know. ” Both gentlemen have now died and everyone is now very happy with the stadium, so everyone can know now. “
Stadium has been in use for 25 years
And with those millions from the beer magnate, the stadium has been saved. The renovation starts in November 1997 and after the opening on 13 May 2000 the stadium is used in various ways. To this day. Stadig: “Would I have wanted it differently? If I now say that I would have preferred to have homes here, I should now also say that I should have been stricter to Piet Kranenberg. Why I wasn’t that at the time? Because he was so nice!”
In retrospect, Tiemersma is satisfied with the outcome of the years of tug of war. “You can actually say that what was ultimately achieved is a compromise, namely that the concrete clog is gone and that the stadium has been given a function for the neighborhood.” Finally, Nibbering says: “The stadium is now of the whole world and it has ended the entire century.”