includes hospitality, media and other functional facilities. The costs for its construction were planned to amount to 15 million €, of which 2 million where contributed by the club. Sponsors accounted for 10 million. A further 3 million were injected by a holding formed to own and manage to stadium, shares in which were made publicly available. Over four thousand members of the club and sponsors bought shares in the company so formed for 2.7 million €. In its new form, the stadium was sold out for the first time on 31 August 2013, when 21,717 spectators saw Union beat FC St. Pauli 3–2. Events Since the redevelopment, the stadium has also been used for a small number of non-football events, among them rock concerts and bike shows. Christmas Carols Singing Union Berlin is well known for its Christmas traditions celebrated in their home stadium. In 2003 the yearly Union Weihnachtssingen (Christmas Carols Singing) started as an unofficial gathering to which just 89 fans showed up. In 2013, 27,500 people attended, including players and supporters of other teams from around Germany and Europe. Fans drink Glühwein (mulled wine), wave candles around, light flares and sing a combination of Christmas carols and football chants. World Cup Living Room In 2014 the club came up with the idea of inviting fans to take their own sofas to the ground for the whole of the World Cup. The event was called WM Wohnzimmer (World Cup Living Room). More than 800 sofas were placed on the pitch in rows in front of the big screen. Concerts On 3 September 2015, Linkin Park played the first ever music show in the stadium. They performed in front of 35,000 fans. See also Football in Germany Football in Berlin Sport in Berlin References External links Page on official Union Berlin website Stadium official website Virtual Tour FootballStadiums360 Football venues in Berlin Football venues in East Germany 1. FC Union Berlin Buildings and structures in Treptow-Köpenick 1920 establishments in Germany Sports venues completed in 1920