In 5 November 1933 Germany played a friendly match against Norway (2:2) here which name of stadium was Stadion am Gübser Damm.

After World War II the city of Magdeburg planned to erect a sports center consisting among others of a stadium with a capacity for 80,000 people and a natatorium.

In order to erect the stands, about 5.3×10^6 cu ft (150,000 m3) of rubble were transported from the ruins of the city.

Over the years, it was upgraded several times, parts of the stands were put under a roof, and floodlights were installed.

However, after the reunification of Germany the stadium gradually fell into disrepair and in 2004 the city council decided to build a new one at the same site.