Estadio Zorros del Desierto

Name

The first proposition of a name to give to the stadium was in honour of the former Cobreloa player Fernando Cornejo, who died in 2009. The former president of Cobreloa, Juan George, and the Representative of the Partido Radical Socialdemócrata, Marcos Espinoza, announced the name of the stadium to the media when it was a project in 2010. However, this project name not was given to the stadium.

In April 2014, in a reunion between local authorities, it was decided that the name would be chosen by the Calama mayor, Esteban Velazquez, and the Consejo de Sociedad Civil (Cososi). The names proposed then were: Arena, Pucará, Vicente Cantatore, Mario Lira and Fernando Cornejo.

Finally, the name of the stadium was decided through voting, through a campaign called "Ponle nombre al Municipal de Calama". With a video titled 'Corporación de Cultura y Turismo de Calama', the municipality invited the community of Calama, Chile to propose names to be given to the stadium. The first time, there were seven proposals, but this number was insufficient to vote, so the registration period was increased in September 2014. With a total of 14 proposals, the number of voters of this communal poll were 4,721 people. The meeting point of this votation was the 'Estadio Techado' of Calama, and the days of votation were October 17–19, 2014. The winner of this poll was the 'Zorros del Desierto' option, with 1,088 votes; the second, the third and the fourth place were used to name different areas of the stadium. The Mario Lira Option was named the media cabines.

Construction

The first time a project related to a new stadium in Calama was suggested was in 2007, when the architect, Andrés Valle, made a model of the project stadium; it was well received by the appropriate authorities. This showed that not just the community, but also the private sector, had interest in building a new stadium. In 2008, Cobreloa representative Gerardo Mella proposed the project of a new stadium in Calama to authorities of Calama. With the consultation of the company 'Alberto Saltori y Asociados', Cobreloa would dedicate CLP 35 to 40 million to this project.

In 2009, the president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, announced the inclusion of Calama in the third phase of the 'Estadios Bicentenario' projects so that the Stadium of Calama would be remodelled or rebuilt. The representative, Marcos Espinoza, had referred to the project financing with an amount of CLP 300 million. Possibly a new stadium would be built, or the stadium would be renovated. This hypothetical stadium would not be built in the Topater Sector, an undeveloped sector of Calama.

In 2010, the parliamentarian, Marcos Espinoza, announced the possibility that this proyect would be not included in the budget of 2011 to the media. All the same, the president of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, announced at a 2011 event in the San Gregorio commune of Santiago that US$170 million was to be invested in improving the infrastructure of Chile's stadiums, through the 'Chilestadios' project, in which the Estadio Municipal de Calama was included.

The definitive project of a new stadium in Calama was displayed to the Calama mayor, Estebán Velásquez Nuñez, in 2012. In this phase of the project the Consejo Regional was decided as the amounts would be distributed. The Instituto Nacional del Deporte (IND) allocated CLP 5,000 million to the project. In this reunion, Cobreloa representative Mario Herrera was present. The technical team of the municipality of Calama led by Gloria Aliaga was in charge of different phases of the project from its initial formulation to the presentation of this. The mayor of Calama declared:

The municipality of Calama had to deposit the project to the Banco Integrado de 'Proyectos del Ministerio de Planificación Social'. The resource allocation of the 'Fondo Regional of Desarrollo Social' was subtracted by the 'Consejo Regional' of Antofagasta Region to enter the tendering. The project referred to the building of individual seats with a total of 12,000, including a place for disabled people, built with a structural concrete base. The project had 4 installation level floors, with dressing room for the players and referees, hygienic services, snack hall, media area, first aid hall, and LED screen. The field dimensions were given as 105 x 68 meters with natural grass. The design was inspired by the aging copper bars in order to provide identification to the community in the area.

In 2012 for non-compliance issues in the bidding rules, it was due to delay construction of the stadium, which is why the 'Instituto Nacional del Deporte' had to seek alternatives to avoid altering the route of the process.

The Estadio Municipal de Calama was delivered to the Spanish contractor company Isolux Corsan on January 30, 2013. The dismantling works started this same day with the removal of the stadium light bulbs. Despite this, the last game that was held in the old stadium was against Deportes Iquique, on February 3, 2013. The result of the match was a win for Cobreloa by 4 – 1. There were goals by Francisco Pizarro, Miguel Ángel Cuellar in 2 instances and Sebastián Pol. In April of this year, the 'Instituto Nacional del Deporte' and the 'Gobierno Regional' give to the financing of the stadium more amount of money, increasing the cost of this to CLP 12,000 millions approximately. approved by the 'Gobierno Regional de Antofagasta'. The date for the stadium was delivered on December 25 that year

For November 2013, the works advanced to 40%, it was expected that the work would end the first quarter of 2014, it was the first delay of the work, during this period tenders for the seats as the electronic scoreboard were made. In April of this 2014, with a 85% of work progress, the regional governor, Valentín Volta, said the stadium woulb the finish to the second semester of this year.

In May 2014 there were non-payment of salaries to company employees contractors MC due to consider delays in the work, who collaborated on the stadium Works, so he had to reach agreement with them. In July of this year, there were delays in payments of Isolux – Corsan workers who worked in the work. for September of this year, it was announced that the new stadium it will be opened in November this year, due to delays in municipal delivery of this. Due the delays of the works and They failed to enforce outstanding debts with its subcontracts, the Spanish company Isolux-Corsan was buttoned up their positions. Due this fact, 'Instituto Nacional del Deporte' he committed to the city of Calama to deliver the works in early 2015.

In 2014, then-Chile National Football coach, Jorge Sampaoli, had planned to use the stadium for matches by 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. Specifically matches with Brazil and Argentina.

In January 2015, the Calama Mayor, Estebán Velásquez, postulates the stadium to host Copa América of this year due the delay works of the Estadio Sausalito de Viña del Mar. By reaching a legal document to the respective authorities for approval. However this did not prosper due the finish works of the Sausalito.

For February 2015 there were delays for the final delivery of the work, where it was argued that the bathrooms were not available for use, so it had to postpone delivery. Finally the opening date of the stadium was delivered, this being April 18 that year and he unveiled the National Director of the National Institute of Sport, Sergio Arevalo, the rival of this match was Club de Deportes Antofagasta.

The 'Instituto Nacional del Deporte' donated an amount greater than CLP 200 millions to the finish of the works in the stadium, this money was given to improved: Protection bars, ticket offices, bathrooms, illuminations, boilers and elevator. This mprovements would be finish in first semester of 2016.

The Departamento Prevención de Riesgo Forestal y Ambiente (O.S-5), departament who Regulates Security Standards of the Stadiums of Chile determined in March 23, 2016 that this stadium meets these standards, being a stadium suitable for large-scale events, meeting 63% of the requirements.

First Match

At April 18, 2015, the stadium had the first match between Cobreloa and Deportes Antofagasta, valid for the Primera División de Chile Match in the fifteenth game-week, at 16:00 (GMT-3). Cobreloa won the match with goals by Diego Silva (6'), Rodolfo González (21') y José Luis Jiménez (58').The capacity of the public came to 10,200 spectators. The refeere of this match was Eduardo Gamboa.

Cobreloa entered the field with the following Line-Up:

LaMia Flight 2933 Reaction

On December 4, 2016, Club de Deportes Cobreloa, decided to make a tribute to the victims of LaMia Flight 2933, in which personnel of Associação Chapecoense de Futebol team, journalists of Brazil and Bolivian air crew suffered an accident in which resulted with 77 people deceased. This tribute consisted of a drawing of the logo of the team held in the middle of the field, previous the match they made a minute of silence to pay tribute to the victims. Cobreloa team wore a conmemorative jersey with Chapecoense logo below the team logo. The Led Screen showed the Chapecoense logo over Cobreloa and his rival logo Intermittently also, .

This act was in the match against Deportes Puerto Montt, valid for the fourteenth date of the Primera B of Chile Championship 2016-17 season. At the end of the first half, the referee of the match, Hector Jona, with instrutions of ANFP, ordered to withdraw the drawing because it was considered anti-regimentary act.

Design

The concept of the stadium is based to the Mining, who is the principal and representative activity of the city, alluding to the roof of the stadium to Copper bars, with the intent of built representativity in the city. The final form of the stadium was the result of an architectural filter, who decided what could be make and not.

The stadium are built with premade concrete structures and the front cover of this are made with steel coated by Weathering steel for coverage stands of 'Pacifico' and 'Ándes' to make a copper aged look and give an anticorrosive material in accordance environment of Calama. In the first instance, it was thought to use a Copper membrane for the lining of the stadium, however, since there is no factory that manufactures this material in Chile and the reason of the copper coating in contact with the environment generates a green color of this due to chemical processes also, it was bound to not be used this material. The architectural design counted on drillings to the stadium cover to deliver a particular form of illumination to the stadium.

The stadium lighting are composed with 16 light posts, allocated to the interior of the deck. Which makes it suitable for High Definition transmissions. The frontage of the stadium have changing lights for decorative illumination.

The evacuation routes are painted with yellow in the steps and risers of the stadium with enlarged size of this.

Other uses

The stadium is home to various recreational and cultural community calama and its surroundings, where children from various schools shared with the campus honor of Cobreloa, family races, yoga and Zumba sessions. In 2016 this stadium was host of the Campeonato Nacional Canadela, Senior category.

In March 2016, the local sport club called Los rebeldes organized a charity event to delieve nonperishable food to different organizations of the city, this event consisted in a football match between some players of Cobreloa in the 80's decade versus Deportes Ovalle historics players, the requirement to enter at the event was donate a nonperishable food to the cause.

In November 20, 2016, the stadium was host of the first final of Bubble bump football tournament in Chile, called Fútbol burbuja Cup, the participants of this event was secondary students of city

Stands

West Stand Tribuna Pácifico 'Fernando Cornejo Jiménez'.

VIP seats = 214

In honor of the former captain of Cobreloa, Fernando Cornejo Jiménez, the west stand of the stadium was named so. This player won with Cobreloa team the Chilean Championships in four times, 1992, 2003 (A), 2003 (C) and 2004 . Moreover, this footballer played in Chile national football team. He participated in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. He is remembered by the Cobreloa supporters like a remarkable member of the club's history.

His Oficial farewell match was in Estadio Municipal de Calama in September 2005. After his retire, he was elect to be the football manager of the youth Cobreloa team. He died in 2009 by gastric cancer. He was honored by former teammates and Cobreloa fans in this stadium in the same year in a homage match. After this fact. The regional authorities and Cobreloa representatives, nominate his person to be the name of the new stadium of Calama. However this idea did not fructified. His name was nominated to a poll to name the new stadium, his option was the second. Therefore, his named was used to name the west stand of the new stadium.

After his death, the Cobreloa Representatives decided retire the number '8' of team. this number was returned because his son, Fernando Cornejo Miranda, wanted use this number and they agreed.

He is a reconocible remarkable person for the Cobreloa fans, due his work in this institution and his notables sports Achievements. He is valuated by his humble behaviors and his appreciation to Calama and the miners of this city.

This stand have 3 seccions, and the VIP seats are in this. The press stands and the snacks shop sector are located over this stand.

South Gallery 'Corazón de Minero'.

This gallery was named so in honour to the nickname of Fernando Cornejo, 'Corazón de Minero, in a poll held in Calama, this was the third option in a communal poll to decide the name of the stadium.

It was the nickname by which he was known Fernando Cornejo, because his apreciation with the miners in which teams he played; Ohiggins de Rancagua and Cobreloa. The nickname has been used since 1992, when the Radio Carillon broadcaster, Epifanio Carle Alcayaga, identified him by this name. The reason for his nickname is due to the great identification he had with the area of Calama and the miners.

It is in this gallery where the Cobreloa supporters called 'Huracán Naranja' is placed.

The LED Screen is ubicated in this gallery.

East Stand Tribuna Ándes 'Héroes del Topater'.'

This stand was named in honor of the Chilean soldiers who fought and died in the Battle of Topater, which his battlefield was found in Calama in March 23, 1879, this fact started the Guerra del Pacifico. These were led by the military Eleuterio Ramirez and Emilio Sotomayor. The day of this event is celebrated by the city of Calama, as the day of annexation of the city to the Chilean territory. There is Topater Monolith, which remembers the fallen heroes of this battle. It is in this gallery where the Cobreloa fans is placed.

North Gallery: 'Río Loa'.

This stand was named in honor of the Loa River, which crosses the city of Calama, known as the longest river in Chile. It is the livelihood for indigenous communities of Atacama. In this gallery it is where The visitors stands to watch the game. It is the only water basin that feeds the first and second region of Chile, originated in the Andes Mountains and flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Facilities