 Plans called for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 games to be held at the stadium, and with this in mind, the stadium was almost completely demolished after the 1997 football season.Expansion work was completed in fall 1998 and the stadium opened for the first game of the season on September 12, 1998; with seating for 45,017 spectators.During the 2002 games the stadium served as the venue for the Opening Ceremony on February 8, 2002, and for the Closing Ceremony on February 24, 2002.