behind Skedsmohallen was converted to a throwing venue in 2005. Ahead of the 2003 municipal elections, the Labour Party mayor candidates for the municipalities of Skedsmo, Rælingen and Lørenskog, Andreas Hamnes, Terje Granerud and Åge Tovan, proposed that a central, inter-municipal athletics venue be built for Nedre Romerike. The proposal was followed up by the three athletics clubs in the area, Minerva IS, Strømmen IF and Lørenskog FIL, who established a committee. Several locations were considered, but the committee landed on Lillestrøm idrettspark because of the availability of existing utilities, parking and changing rooms, which would reduce the investment costs. In the process, Strømmen stadion was rejected because it was undergoing upgrades to receive artificial turf and Marikollen was deemed too remote. Also Nordlimyra in Lørenskog was deemed unsuitable. The choice of Lillestrøm idrettspark was selected by consensus among the municipalities and the sports clubs in June 2005. Grants were issued from the municipalities in 2005, the size of which was determined by the population of each municipality. Multiconsult was hired to design the venue and construction started on 28 June 2006. Earthworks were completed by November and asphalting started on 16 May 2007. The all-weather surface was completed on 13 June and technical installations were completed by mid-August. The new venue was inaugurated on 1 September 2007. It cost NOK 28.6 million, of which NOK 15.9 million were paid for by the municipalities in ratio of their population. The rest was financed through a combination of betting grants, value added tax compensation and volunteer work. In 2006, the municipality approved Lillestrøm SK's plans to build an indoor football pitch. The hall was inaugurated on 11 October 2007 and cost NOK 62 million. In 2009, Lillestrøm launched itself as one of six candidate cities for Norway's joint bid with Sweden to host the UEFA Euro 2016. This would involve building a new venue seating between 35,000 and 44,000 in Lillestrøm. One of three potential locations was at Lillestrøm idrettspark. The stadium would be built in modules, so the upper tiers could be dismounted after the championship and installed on other venues. The proposal was selected as one of four for the bid, but the bid was never sent. Facilities Lillestrøm idrettspark is located across the railway from Åråsen Stadion, the home ground of Lillestrøm SK. It is the main recreational sports complex in Skedsmo, located just north of Lillestrøm. It