Stadium Industry Update 15 November
Nîmes, Mallorca, Casertana, Milan and Lincoln stadium projects advance
Credit: Valode & Pistre Architects
Alexander Stadium (Birmingham) will host 2026 European Athletics Championships
Credit: insidethegames.biz
Published: 14/11/2022
Birmingham has been chosen to host the European Athletics Championships in 2026. The renovated Alexander Stadium, which was used when the Commonwealth Games took place in the city earlier this year, will be the venue for the event. It will be the first time the Championships have been held in the United Kingdom. UK Athletics (UKA) chief executive Jack Buckner said it was "wonderful news for athletics".
He added: "UKA has held a long-time wish to deliver this event and we thank European Athletics for its faith in entrusting us with its most important competition. Our vision for the Championships is about record-breaking ticket sales and an amazing atmosphere for athletes to be inspired inside and outside the stadium.”
Read more here: https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/63601612
ASM Global and Milan authorities enter talks about Meazza
Published: 11/11/2022
Venue management company ASM Global has held an initial meeting with Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, regarding ongoing efforts to save the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
Speaking to Italian newspaper Il Giorno, Claudio Trotta, head of the Comitato Sì Meazza group that is campaigning to save the stadium, expressed his hope that progress can be made with ASM on a plan for the Meazza. He said: “The meeting was absolutely positive. (….) At this point, ASM Global will ask the managers of the Comune for a series of documents in order to have the elements to formulate an adequate proposal on San Siro. A project cannot be born overnight, you need to know a series of elements before proceeding.
Read more at: https://www.ilgiorno.it/milano/cronaca/san-siro-asm-dal-sindaco-pronti-a-salvare-il-meazza-1.8268956
New Zealand: Wellington’s Sky Stadium to host “Silent night” without fans
Published: 11/11/2022
Wellington’s Sky Stadium is hoping to achieve a sell-out for an event no fans will actually attend. The venue in New Zealand’s capital city has teamed up with the Wellington City Mission for ‘The Silent Night’ – a crowd-less public event designed to help ensure all Wellingtonians get to celebrate Christmas.
By purchasing a ticket but not attending, 100% of the cost of tickets will be donated to the Mission to fund initiatives including supported transitional housing, as well as food support through the Social Supermarket, which enables clients to choose the food they need.
Read more at: https://www.skystadium.co.nz/fanzone/news/single/its-a-silent-night-in-wellington
Newcastle United continue St. James Park improvements
Published: 10/11/2022
Newcastle United’s ownership group has invested a further £70.4m of equity into the Premier League club, with infrastructure improvements set to be among the priorities.
In July, Newcastle became the latest Premier League club to commit to the concept of safe standing, initially for away fans at St. James’ Park. Rail seating provision was installed following guidance from the Sports Ground Safety Authority. To avoid major disruption to season ticket holders, the club said it will look to introduce a similar provision in a home area of the stadium as early as 2023, subject to a consultation process. Upgrades to the stadium could be on the horizon, though, with Newcastle’s statement confirming that the latest investment will focus on “infrastructure and day-to-day operations”.
Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-09/newcastle-united-fc-owners-invest-extra-70-million-in-uk-club
Lincoln City presents revised plans for stadium redevelopment
Credit: Lincoln City FC
Published: 10/11/2022
English League One football club Lincoln City has revised plans for the redevelopment of the Stacey West Stand at LNER Stadium, with the project to proceed with a two-tier structure. Lincoln had originally planned a three-tier stand featuring a hospitality level but this has been scaled back, with the club citing the current economic climate.
Some £1.8m has already been raised for the project by various grant funds and backing from supporters and investors, and Lincoln has now decided to pursue a two-tier development by omitting the proposed third-tier hospitality suite. The development will feature a new community skills and educational hub.
Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-63566298
Willem II acquires Willem II Stadium
Credit: Sport in Tilburg
Published: 08/11/2022
Dutch football club Willem II has reached an agreement to acquire Koning Willem II Stadion, its home ground, from the municipality of Tilburg. Following various architectural and safety studies, rental and purchase scenarios were compared, which showed that there were three “strong arguments” in favour of Willem II purchasing the stadium. These were structurally lower housing costs, building up capital, and the possibility to better exploit the stadium.
Under the terms of the agreement, the stadium will be valued at €4.9m. Willem II will be obligated to carry out safety investments worth €3.5m, of which €1.5m will be contributed by the municipality.
Olympique Nîmes plays last match at Stade des Costières
Credit: Olympique Nîmes
Published: 07/11/2022
French Ligue 2 football club Nîmes Olympique played its final match at the Stade des Costières on Saturday, defeating top-of-the-table Girondins de Bordeaux 1-0.
The 18,000-seat stadium had served as Nîmes’ home since 1989 but it is set to be demolished to make way for a new facility. The club will play at a temporary facility while the new stadium is being built.
AS Roma opens new hospitality space
Credit: AS Roma
Published: 08/11/2022
Italian Serie A football club AS Roma has opened up a new hospitality space at the Stadio Olimpico and agreed a deal with Enovation Consulting to become its official strategic consultant for sustainability practices.
The Club 1927 hospitality space was opened last Thursday ahead of Roma’s UEFA Europa League game against Ludogorets.
The space features LED walls in the colours of Roma, and the first guests were treated to a 360-degree premium experience with food, wine and DJ sets. The space has opened following a collaboration between Roma and Sport e Salute, whose chief executive Vito Cozzoli opened the room ahead of Thursday’s game.
Read more at: https://www.asroma.com/en/tickets/premium/tribuna1927-top
RCD Mallorca hoping to take next steps in stadium renovation project
Credit: RCD Mallorca
Published: 09/11/2022
RCD Mallorca has hailed the striking of an agreement to unblock the sale of the land on which the Spanish LaLiga football club’s former home, Estadi Lluís Sitjar, had sat.
If the agreement is concluded, it will end a dispute that has rumbled on for over two decades, when Mallorca left the Lluís Sitjar, which opened in 1945, to move to what is now known as Visit Mallorca Estadi, owned by Palma City Council and built for the staging of the 1999 Summer Universiade multi-sport event.
The club presented its plans to upgrade the stadium in January. Mallorca feels the stadium must evolve and adapt to “changing times”. The initial phase of the project will cost €5.4m and will centre on a new structure in the lower part of the south stand at the Visit Mallorca Estadi. The wider project is expected to cost around €20m and the renovation will be funded by the LaLiga Impulso investment partnership.
Read more at: https://www.rcdmallorca.es/en/content/news/news/rcd-mallorca-reveals-landmark-stadium-renovation-plans
Serie D-club Casertana reveals plans for 12,000-seat stadium
Credit: Casertana FC
Serie D football club Casertana has received the green light to develop a new stadium that it states will be a flagship for the south of Italy and a unique project for the country.
Italian news agency Ansa notes that the €51m project will be the first instance in the country of a football club participating directly in the construction works of a new stadium. Expected to take two years to complete, the new stadium will have a capacity of 12,000, expandable to 16,000 to meet UEFA regulations.
A commercial area of 40,000 square metres will be included, along with offices and a gym. Castertana currently plays at the Stadio Alberto Pinto, which first opened in 1936 and includes an athletics track.
Belgian League to take new measure in stadium security
Belgium’s Interior minister met with league and club officials Monday to present them with details of a draft law aimed at reinforcing the fight against soccer hooliganism following repeated incidents this season. The meeting took place after a first-division match between Charleroi and Mechelen was stopped over the weekend due to the fans’ behavior. The game was abandoned after Charleroi fans threw flares onto the pitch. As part of the plan devised earlier this year, the Belgian government wants to impose tougher penalties and tighten access to stadiums to keep hooligans away.
Read more at: https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-europe-violence-belgium-8454c99bfef3566bc96ff8b003016549
ESSMA Partner Safesight expands its clientele in Belgium & the Netherlands
Safesight is proud to announce a partnership with FC Emmen, Heracles, Cambuur Leeuwarden and Beerschot VA .
Congratulations!
ATSP, Atelier Tom Sheehan et Partenaires, changes its name to Origin architects.
You can find out more about the new studio here