Sports Management Issue 1 2012 - Leisure Opportunities

EURO 2012
GETTING CONNECTED
W
ith technology continuing
to evolve through
the advent of mobile
connectivity, stadia are now
becoming as much a forum for communication
as the workplace or the
home. Warsaw’s National Stadium
has embraced this trend with the
installation of Cisco’s Connected
Stadium solution, a network offering
wired and wireless access.
It can be used across operational
activities, from security to
ticketing and allows fans to share
experiences. Dariusz Fabiszewski,
general manager of Cisco Poland,
says: “Modern stadiums no longer
serve as a backdrop for sports
events, but are offering more engaging
experiences for visitors.
Meanwhile, organisers in Poland
have created a first for a Euro event
– the Polish Guide, which provides
overseas supporters with information
detailed in six languages. A smartphone
version is also due to launch in
advance of the tournament. Details:
www.polishguide2012.pl
It is estimated that about
1.6 million fans will visit
Poland and Ukraine
during the event in June
by GMP, seating capacity for the tournament
will be reduced by 2,000 to 68,055.
Hightex has provided the facility with a
48,500sq m suspended roof comprising
translucent PTFE/glass membranes.
The NSC Olimpiyskiy will be a centrepiece
of Euro 2012 and is the largest
stadium in terms of capacity on the roster.
It is one of three in Ukraine – along
with Lviv and Donetsk – to offer AG’s
cashless payment solution.
More can be expected as tourism numbers increase and
infrastructure improvements provide a boost across
hospitality and transport sectors for both nations
Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv is the
second of two venues in the Ukraine to
undergo renovations. Work included
new stands to the south and east. The
DCH Group-funded work also involved
seating solutions from Figueras International
Seating and Elcon. The new roof
can withstand an earthquake measuring
up to 8 in magnitude.
Two new-build venues complete the
line-up of Ukrainian stadia to be used.
The first – Donbass Arena in Donetsk –
was designed by ArupSport and was the
first UEFA five-star complex to be built in
Ukraine. Built by Turkey-based ENKA, it
boasts a glazed facade with nearly 2,500
panes covering the whole stadium.
The second new facility is Arena Lviv,
designed by Austria-based Albert Wimmer
and costing around UAH875m (£68.7m,
Czech Republic versus Portugal (in
white) at the Euro 2008 competition
in Austria and Switzerland
EUR79.7m, US$109.3m). It was built by Altkom
and has a capacity of nearly 35,000.
Seating has been laid out to maximise the
view of fans and ensure no ‘dead zones’
are left in terms of visibility.
A lasting legacy
The opening of Warsaw’s National Stadium
signalled the last of the eight Euro
2012 venues to be completed. Poland’s
tournament director, Adam Olkowicz
said: “As of now, all of the venues in Poland
and Ukraine are ready and we are
working hard to prepare them for this
big festival of football.”
Both countries now have state-of-theart
football facilities, offering an early
legacy from Euro 2012. More can be expected
as tourism numbers increase and
infrastructure improvements provide a
substantial boost across hospitality and
transport sectors, standing the two economies
in good stead for the future.
Pete Hayman is a Leisure Media journalist
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Issue 1 2012 © cybertrek 2012