01 cover sbi 152.indd - FIFA/CIES International University Network

FACILITIES
Venue: Yas Marina Circuit
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Open: 30 October 2009
Type: Motorsports circuit
Use: Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Capacity: 50,000
Owner and Operator: Abu Dhabi
Motorsports Management
Architect: Hermann Tilke
Cost: Undisclosed
IN 2009, Formula One welcomed a new event
and a new destination to its racing calendar
when the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the 5.5
kilometre Yas Marina Circuit were inaugurated
on 30 October. With a capacity of 50,000, the
venue includes a 7,000 seat grandstand and is
believed to be the only motorsports venue in the
world where all seats are covered.
The Pit Building has 40 garages for teams and
officials, as well as hospitality facilities, while
the Driving School Building, Drag Racing Centre,
Karting Centre and Business Park will serve
the motorsports community. The circuit can be
divided into two tracks of 3.1 kilometres and 2.4
kilometres which can operate simultaneously
for different motorsports events, such as drag
racing and karting. Abu Dhabi Motorsports
Management, which is a joint venture between
the Abu Dhabi Government and the property
developer ALDAR Properties PJSC, was
incorporated in 2008 to oversee the construction
and operations management of the circuit. The
cost of the facility has not been disclosed but is
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium at University
Plaza
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Open: August 2011
Type: Rugby stadium
Use: Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand
and Highlanders Rugby
Capacity: 30,000
Owner and Operator: Carisbrook Stadium
Trust
Architect: Warren and Mahoney
Cost: NZD$198.3 million
CONFIGURED TO A RECTANGULAR
playing field, the Forsyth Barr Stadium at
University Plaza will be the home venue of
the Highlanders Super 14 franchise and, in
addition to rugby union, has the capacity to
stage rugby league, soccer, American football
and entertainment events. It will be the first
stadium with a natural turf playing surface to
be covered by a permanent roof and utilises
20,558 square metres of transparent ethylene
tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) panels. Indeed,
part of a $40 billion 162 hectare project which
also houses The Yas Hotel - a 500 room, fivestar
complex - plus the Yas Marina and the Yas
Yacht Club.
the three largest ETFE clad buildings in the
world are all sports venues, with only Beijing’s
National Aquatics Centre and Munich’s Allianz
Arena exceeding the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Three matches for Rugby World Cup 2011
New Zealand have been awarded to Dunedin’s
existing Carisbrook Stadium by the organising
committee, Rugby New Zealand 2011 (RNZ
2011), and a decision will be made in 2010 if
these are to be transferred to the new facility.
Construction began in May 2009 with completion
due by August 2011.
25,000 permanent seats will be installed in
the north, east and south stands and the west
stand will have temporary seating for 5,000.
This can even be further expanded if necessary
to 35,000 with a mixture of both seating and
standing accommodation.
Dunedin City Council is contributing $98.5
million to a private public partnership that is
formed of an alliance of national, regional and
city government, the University of Otago and
other stakeholders. Initially marketed as the
Otago Stadium, the Carisbrook Stadium Trust
announced in January 2009 that the financial
services provider Forsyth Barr would be the
venue’s naming rights partner.
Venue: Red Bull Arena
Location: Harrison, New Jersey, USA
Open: 17 March 2010
Type: Football stadium
Use: MLS New York Red Bulls
Capacity: 25,189
Owner and Operator: Red Bull Park
Architect: Rossetti
Cost: USD$200 million
THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT for what is to be
the eighth soccer-specific stadium in MLS
was completely redesigned when the owner’s
of the Red Bull Energy Drink brand acquired
the franchise and venue in 2006. The Red Bull
Arena will now be the first European-style
MLS stadium with a fully covered two-tier 360
degree bowl.
The capacity of the intimate venue
will be 25,189 and includes 30 luxury
suites and 1,116 club seats. All hospitality
accommodation will be located to the west of
the bowl and patrons will have access to their
own private club. Visitors will be served via
three clubs, 65 concession stands, up to 20
portable vendor carts and two retail outlets.
There will be two video boards - one at each
end of the stadium - plus a ribbon board and
over 300 television panels
The facility is owned and operated by Red
Bull Park and the 12 acre site is owned by the
Town of Harrison.
Venue: Singapore Turf Club Riding
Centre
Location: Singapore
Open: 16 November 2009
Type: Equestrian centre
Use: Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic
Games
Capacity: 1,500
Owner and Operator: Singapore Turf
Club
Architect: Undisclosed
Cost: Undisclosed
OFFICIALLY OPENED in November 2009,
the Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre is a
community sports project managed by the
Singapore Turf Club and its parent body, the
Government of Singapore’s Tote Board. The
facility is located on a 3 hectare site next to
Singapore Racecourse and has an extensive
grass roots programme and is to be the
equestrian sports venue for the Singapore
2010 Youth Olympic Games. Its specifications
include a 5,000 square metre open arena, 5,000
square metre sheltered arena, viewing gallery
for 1,500 spectators with a café, retail outlet,
administration building and classrooms.
SportBusiness International • No.152 • 12.09 35