LONDON | Stadiums + Arenas: U/C, Approved + Proposed

[nito]

New Portsmouth FC Stadium, 36,000


Portsmouth is an island city with a population of around 200,000. Its football club has risen in the Barclaycard Premiership for sometime and is contending for a European spot, its current ground: Fratton Park is well over 100 years old and it shows - its capacity is just over 20,000 and its a poor state. The club was considering rotating its stadium 90 degrees, but has now opted for a far larger project which will be far more likely to be financially viable.

The new stadium would be located on a very large pier, next door to the Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays residential and shopping quarter. The 170m Spinnaker Tower surveys the area. The stadium would be located next door to the 2nd busiest bus interchange in the city, a ferry terminal and the terminus of the Portsmouth Direct Line which connects directly to London (journey of 1hr 30mins).




NEW STADIUM PLANS UNVEILED

Pompey have unveiled the plans for a spectacular new £600million waterfront football stadium and residential development on reclaimed land in the city's dockyard and at Fratton Park.

The new stadium is being designed by leading international architects, Herzog and De Meuron. The Swiss-based firm is responsible for both the Beijing National Stadium, which will be the centrepiece of the 2008 Olympic Games, and the Allianz Stadium in Munich.

The stadium is planned to be constructed on a site adjacent to the historic Naval Dockyards, the Gunwharf Quays retail and leisure centre, Portsmouth Harbour Station and ferry terminus and the Hard interchange bus station. It will comprise of approximately 13 acres of land reclaimed from the existing waterfront.

The joint venture between Pompey and Sellar Property Group will create a superb 36,000 all-seater stadium, over 1 million square feet of waterfront apartments, a 1.5 acre new public space together with a mixture of complementary leisure uses, restaurants and cafes.







Pompey and Sellar have also announced proposals for the redevelopment of the Club's historic 17-acre Fratton Park site, where Pompey have been playing football since 1899. It is anticipated that planning consent for the Fratton Park redevelopment will be secured at the same time as permission is granted for the waterfront development.

A phased development of Fratton Park will create a low to medium-rise scheme in keeping with its environment. The current plans are for approximately 750 homes comprising a mixture of houses, flats and affordable housing units. Part of the site, including the current car park and adjacent land, could be developed while the team continue to play at Fratton Park.

The club and Sellar are forming a joint venture company in which both Fratton Park and the new waterfront development will be held, enabling appropriate development finance to be secured to complete the overall project. It is expected that creation of the residential and commercial elements of both schemes will contribute to the development. It will also generate several thousand jobs during the construction period and many hundreds of permanent jobs post completion.

Planning applications for the proposed development will be submitted in the autumn, following consultation with stakeholders. Subject to receipt of the necessary consents, reclamation work could get underway by Summer 2008, and construction of the new stadium the following year. It is anticipated that Pompey will be playing in the new stadium by 2011.

Peter Storrie, Pompey's Chief Executive, said: "This will be the most spectacular stadium, set against the backdrop of the harbour and the English Channel befitting the club's history. The club will be playing a big part in the regeneration of the city and our fans will have the very best in terms of facilities and amenities as well as an excellent viewing experience.

"Portsmouth Football Club is moving into a new dawn with the backing of owner Alexandre Gaydamak and these are very exciting times for the club both on and off the field. The new stadium, along with plans for the club's new training ground at Titchfield, is proof of where we want Pompey to be - playing at the highest level and in a stadium that is reflective of a top Premiership side."







The proposed scheme is in the great tradition of English football stadia that have historically formed an integral part of their communities and social urban fabric and the location of the new stadium remains within the city of Portsmouth where more than three-quarters of the club's fan base lives.

The development's sustainability and green credentials are also underlined by the stadium's location which will ensure a majority of supporters arrive by public transport. Apart from parking for club officials, players and VIPs, there will be no public parking as part of the scheme.

Supporters will be encouraged to use local bus, train and ferry services to the stadium and, as part of the proposals, it is intended to create a new covered bus terminus, the roof of which will form the substantial new public space to the front of the stadium. In addition there will be plans to create suitable "park and ride" centres enabling fans to have easy access to the stadium.

The residential element of the waterfront development, comprising approximately 1,500 apartments, will wrap around the eastern, southern and western sides of the stadium. On the southwest waterfront side the development will rise to 22 storeys reducing to 11 storeys in the northeast corner as it adjusts in scale to take into account the city and the historic dockyards. The sweeping bowl shape of the scheme will, together with the Spinnaker Tower, change the city skyline and continue the regeneration of this part of Portsmouth.

While the scheme aims to reclaim approximately 13 acres from the present harbour, water will continue to play a prominent role as it is intended to replace the small boat moorings facility on the landward side of the development and enhance the wider public realm by including the beach. It is also planned to create a new dock area to the north of the site enabling HMS Warrior to be re-sited but equally accessible to the public.









Picture taken by myself of the 'aquatic' site from the Summer of 2006.




Windows Live Local image

[nito]

New White Hart Lane, 50,000+


The current WHL stadium is on a very congested site and is practically maxed out expansion wise. Transport developments in the local area could see expansion of the stadium, while a full rotation of the stadium and a possible relocation a short distance to the east are being considered.




A fan's render of an expanded WHL










Wimbledon Center Court, 15,000


Webcam images showing the re-building work of this most historic stadium.












Madejski Stadium Expansion, 24,700 > 33,000


Reading finished the Premiership in the top half and the expansion plans are currently going through the planning system. Work to 'lift the roof' and fit more seats in could start during the summer.










Emirates Stadium, 60,000 - 1 Season Old


Aerials of the Emirates Stadium after the end of the first season

[Downtown Bolivar]

Why do all the soccer stadiums feature a roof over the seats but none over the playing field? Seems like the glare from the sun would be killer for the players depending on what time of day it was. It reminds me of where the Dallas Cowboys play. Do they build purely open stadiums for soccer in Europe?

[nito]

Originally Posted by Downtown Bolivar

Why do all the soccer stadiums feature a roof over the seats but none over the playing field? Seems like the glare from the sun would be killer for the players depending on what time of day it was. It reminds me of where the Dallas Cowboys play. Do they build purely open stadiums for soccer in Europe?

Mainly to keep the fans dry/safe from baking heat, but also to build up atmosphere. The reasoning is simple: the enclosed sound echoes, and increases in intensity, and is ultimately focused at the pitch where the players are, creating an enjoyable but spine-tingling environment.

At the old Wembley, the acoustics were pretty much spot on to the extent that mexican waves sounded as if a tsunami was roaring over head, chairs would shake from the deafening sound. The new Wembley digitally mapped out and amplified this, so the sound is going to be awesome come the FA Cup Final this weekend!

The players on the other hand are fully exposed!

Fully enclosed stadiums tend to be poor for the pitch, the new Wembley roof is equivalent in weight to an oil tanker and can move around to ensure that every fan in the stadium is dry, but that the pitch is exposed the elements. There's a reason why it cost $1.5bn


Go further south and eastwards in Europe and a stadium roof becomes a novelty mainly down to finance, but also climate.

[Downtown Bolivar]

^^^Thanks for your answer. Sounds like engineering these open type enclosures are an engineering challenge.

[nito]

They are, the roof of the new Wembley is the largest in the world and as I mentioned previously weighs the equivalent of an oil tanker - hence the arch to support the roof.




New West Ham Stadium, 60,000 Capacity


London may be getting another 60,000 stadium; this would become the joint 4th largest stadium in London, although it is possible that Tottenham Hotspurs and Chelsea (who both have ambitions for larger stadia) could build even larger due to both teams having larger support bases. The site is just south of the proposed super mosque (which itself would have a whooping 70,000 capacity). London is easily on course to become the first city on the planet to have a city-wide capacity of 1,000,000 seats!


WEST HAM are closing in on plans to move to a 60,000 stadium after backing from London Mayor Ken Livingstone.

The Hammers had hoped to move from Upton Park - their home since 1904 - into the new Olympic Stadium being built for the 2012 games.

That idea was scrapped earlier this year, but Livingstone, in charge of the London Development Authority which owns the site, has told the club that he will support plans for a new ground.

The former Parcelforce depot adjacent to West Ham tube station is a possible site and would be part of a £350million entertainment and housing complex to be built by 2012.

A club source said: "There are still a few things to think about and the club have to make sure the deal is right but it is looking very positive."




Wembley Stadium - 90,000 an the first (126th) FA Cup Final at the new Wembley


Pictures by Spark

[nito]

Complete: 02 Arena, 23,000


The 02 Dome, formerly the Millennium Dome is about to officially re-open. The large quadrant that is 'empty' was to be a super-casino, but Manchester got the license for it. It may yet become a super-casino, or part of other entertainment needs. A cruise liner terminal is also proposed next to the site, while the arena will be used for the 2012 London Olympics (basketball and gymnastics). 1million tickets for shows have already been pre-booked.


















Oval Cricket Ground Expansion, 28,000


[IMG]http://static.surreycricket.com/images/originals/ground-redev-crop-2141.jpg[IMG]

The proposals involve the improvement of existing facilities at the Pavilion end of the ground, with the creation of a new integrated stand and hotel design. By demolishing the existing Surrey Tavern, the front entrance to the ground would be completely opened up and finished with an elegant piazza, allowing the original Pavilion building to be fully appreciated by visitors and passers by.

The current Lock and Laker stands would be replaced with a new stand built to house an additional 2,000 seats, whilst a four star hotel is planned to back onto the stand.

The Brit Oval has recently completed the building of the iconic OCS stand, which opened in 2005 at the Vauxhall end of the ground, providing state of the art facilities for both cricket fans and members of the local community. These new proposals will replace and vastly improve the ageing facilities at the opposite Pavilion end of the ground, and are targeted for completion by the summer of 2009 for the next Ashes series. HOK Sport, the world’s leading stadia architects and the group who delivered the OCS stand, have once again been appointed as the design team for the new project.

Paul Sheldon, Chief Executive of Surrey County Cricket Club, stressed the significance of these developments;



“There is intense pressure on all grounds that host International cricket to provide high quality facilities for both members and visitors. It is therefore vital that the Brit Oval continues to strive to produce the best viewing and spectator facilities of any cricket stadium in the world.

“With this in mind, it is our intention to be in the strongest possible position to maintain and improve our standing in this regard in the coming years.

“We are deeply fortunate to have found Arora International Hotels as our proposed partner in this project, which we hope will benefit not only the Brit Oval, but also contribute greatly to the standing and regeneration of our local area.

“There are a number of important people who need to be consulted regarding these proposals, and we are already in the early stages of discussion with Lambeth Council and our Landlord, the Duchy of Cornwall, who have both expressed their support in principle for the project. There are also a number of local community and resident’s groups with whom we will have extensive dialogue to ensure the project is a truly co-operative one.”

Surinder Arora, Chairman of Arora International Hotels, commented: “Arora International Hotels are delighted to be working with the Brit Oval to transform the Pavilion end of the cricket ground with the planned addition of a four star hotel and more seating. We see this as a truly wonderful partnership that would bring further employment opportunities to the area”.

http://www.surreycricket.com/the-bri...redevelopment/








London 2012 Aquatic Centre


Design by Zaha Hadid










Wimbledon Redevelopment Work

The roof has gone and will be replaced with a new retracting roof and expanded capacity

[nito]

The papier mache Olympic stadium that changes colour
Last updated at 13:02pm on 27th June 2007

2012 chiefs order venue designed not to last

London's Olympic stadium will be multicoloured - and may even be made out of papier maché.

After unveiling the unconventional Games logo, Olympics chiefs have told architects to produce a radical look for 2012's centrepiece venue.

Designers have been encouraged to "think temporary" as the 80,000-capacity venue will be shrunk to 25,000 after the Games.

Coated papier maché or a weather-resistant fabric - both more flexible than traditional building materials - could be used for much of the exterior since this will only have to last for around 12 months.

A traditional off-white facade has been ruled out by the Team McAlpine designers, who are expected to choose from the bright pink, blue and yellow colour scheme adopted for the logo.

In keeping with Olympic chiefs' pledge of "daring to be different", the stadium may even take on chameleon-like properties and pulse different colours at night.

A source close to the project said: "This is not about designing a permanent structure with the ubiquitous off-white shell."

London opted for the temporary design because Games organisers considered an 80,000-seat venue was unlikely to pay its way after 2012 and could become a white elephant.

The stadium's core will be a "rose bowl" that will remain as the 25,000-seat venue after the Games.

It is designed to be ideal as an athletics venue but the seating will also be able to be reconfigured for concerts.

The Olympic Delivery Authority is focussing on creating a stadium that can be used by colleges and schools and host up to 20 elite and schools athletics events per year.

The concept of flexible stadiums was pioneered by planners of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Their 10,000-seat aquatics centre was halved in capacity after the Games and the seats used for the 20,000-capacity Wollongong Stadium in New South Wales, one of the venues for the 2003 rugby World Cup.

Architects HOK, whose designs range from the new Wembley and Arsenal's Emirates stadium to the grandstand at Ascot, are finalising designs for the 2012 stadium and are expected to unveil details later this year.

Team McAlpine, which built the Emirates stadium on time and on budget, is the "preferred partnerî to construct the stadium.

As the centrepiece of the Olympic Park, the stadium will host the track and field events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. The cost of building the venue is thought to have risen to at least £400million due to inflation and rising building costs.

[nito]

SnOasis - World's Largest Indoor Ski Centre


A rather odd proposal, this is SnOasis, the worlds largest indoor ski centre. Construction is to start soon, and it is built on the site of an old contaminiated quarry, so no green belt land being destroyed.

The primary slope is so large that it is of international competition standard, while the snow will be real and the structure reach a height of over 100m. The site will house several smaller slopes, several hundred homes, a 4* hotel, golf courses, a bobsleigh run, several ice rinks, a football stadium and an arena, and a new park. It will also become home to Britain's Winter Olympic Team.

Its location is just outside Ipswich, which is a town due north-east of London. The site is also next door to the Great Eastern Main Line, a major commuter line into London (journeys taking around 1hr10mins), and the developers have proposed to build a station to serve the nearby community and the development.

The site is due to be completed in 2010, although 2011 is probably being more realistic.


















Falmer Stadium, 23,000 - U/C













Twickenham Stadium, 82,000 - U/C


The South Stand is internally finished, but still requires some external work. The first picture shows what the complete stadium looks inside, the south stand is to the far left. Pic from Flickr




Two pictures by CharlieP illustrating the exterior, some work still to be done

[nito]

Olympic Stadium, 80,0000: Design Stage

Olympic stadium with artistic side
Robert Booth

THE stadium for the 2012 London Olympics is to be sunk 20ft in the ground and wrapped in an artwork that may feature images of past Olympians.

Architects for the £500m centrepiece of the Games plan to carve the track-and-field arena into the London clay, around which there will be seating for 25,000. A steel structure will be built up from this “bowl” to accommodate a further 55,000 spectators. Plastic will be wrapped around its exterior on which artists will set to work.

The plastic “wrap” - 65ft high and encircling the 1,000-yard circumference of the stadium - will be visible from across London, according to the plans to be unveiled later this year.

Early designs show six-storey images of Olympic athletes including Cathy Freeman, the athlete who won the 400m for Australia in the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Other designs have used flags from around the world and sponsors’ logos, which so far include Visa, Lloyds TSB and Adidas.

Sir Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate Gallery who is a board member of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), said the wrap should be used for more than sponsorship and could be thrown open to the art world to provide inspiration. “This could be a great opportunity for artists,” he said. “The way the designs are going shows huge potential to develop the form of stadium we haven’t seen before and which recognise we do not want to create a white elephant.”

To avoid repeating the errors of previous Olympic cities, which have been left with massive stadiums that they cannot fill, the upper steel seating structure will be removed after the closing ceremony.

The ODA hopes that it could be used to create a stadium that might be needed elsewhere in Britain or even sold to a future host city of the Olympics. The “bowl” left behind will become a 25,000-seat stadium for athletics, rugby and lower-league football after the Olympics.

The giant artwork is intended to mask the rudimentary structures supporting the temporary seats. Although the cost is still twice the £280m laid out in London’s winning bid document for the Olympics, organisers say it is effectively in line with the proposed budget when inflation and Vat are taken into account.

Tessa Jowell, the Olympics minister, is due to approve the plans at next month’s meeting of the Olympics board with Lord Coe, chairman of the organising committee, Ken Livingstone, the London mayor, and Sir Colin Moynihan, chairman of the British Olympic Association.

Jowell was severely criticised in March when she announced the budget for building the Olympic Park had risen from £2.4 billion to £9.3 billion. But a senior Olympic official said: “[The stadium] is cheap and cheerful for the two weeks of the Games. We are not worried that the 55,000 temporary seats are basically on a scaffold and there isn’t a great deal of architectural refinement.”

It will enable more of the money to be devoted to ensuring that the bowl housing the sports arena is of high quality, leaving a “legacy” of a 25,000-seat stadium in east London.

The approach contrasts with Beijing’s stadium for the 2008 Olympics. Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architects of Tate Modern, have designed a 100,000-seat stadium in the shape of a bird’s nest using four times more steel than London’s arena. It has won lavish praise from architecture critics as “a show stealer”.

The London Olympic stadium will have a roof that covers only two-thirds of the spectators, leaving about 26,000 exposed to any August downpours. Olympic officials said a full roof would have added millions to the cost.

The Olympics organisers also realised that some cover is essential to prevent winds that could render world records invalid. A six-month study found that a partial roof could reduce the chance of winds that can invalidate sprint and jump records from 50% to 5%.

There will also be no food outlets inside the 80,000-seat arena, which reduces the need for kitchens and higher levels of fire protection associated with cooking.

Instead, the architects at HOK Sport, which also designed Wembley and Arsenal’s Emirates stadium, have planned “party concourses” outside the stadium inspired by the successful “fan zones” at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where spectators gathered to eat and drink and watch the action on big screens.








Wembley Stadium, 90,000

On the 28th of October, the New York Giants will play the Miami Dolphins at the new Wembley. Match below is England Vs Israel.










02 Arena, 22,000

And if that wasn't enough, the LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks opened the NHL season with a match at the 02 Arena that was played out over the weekend. On the 10th October, the Boston Celtics will play the Minnesota Timberwolfs at the 02 Arena as well.

For those confused, the 02 Arena is built inside the Millennium Dome. Essentially the arena was built from the bottom up without the use of overhead cranes.








In ice-hockey format, the capacity is 18,000. As you can see, it isn't even a complete bowl so future expansion could ironically make this the largest ice-hockey arena in the world.














Colchester Stadium, 10,000: Under Construction

Colchester is building a new stadium to house their rising football team (could be in the Premiership in the not too far future). Capacity is 10,000 and due by next Autumn.

[nito]

Olympic Stadium: 80,000 - U/C

One of Europe's largest wrecking machines is tearing through the Olympic Park site.

Nicknamed Olymposaurus by site workers, the 50-tonne monster is demolishing two 12-storey former University of East London buildings, floor by floor. The last one is being razed to the ground today.

The work will clear an area linking the Olympic Village and VeloPark. Much of the material will be reused.

The Olympic Delivery Authority is almost half way through preparing the site, having demolished 106 buildings since the summer.

Lord Coe, who chairs the London 2012 organising committee, said: "This is another milestone in the transformation of the Olympic Park site. In the last year, much of the work has taken place underground on the powerlines. Now you will see an increasing amount of work at ground level as remediation and demolition gather pace."

ODA chief executive David Higgins said: "The demolition of these buildings is a symbol of how the progress we are making on the Olympic Park will help transform a neglected part of London."






Thames Lido: Proposed

Rather good use of the River for a lido located in the heart of London






Wembley: Complete

Spot the away supporters.




Wembley played host to the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins. Tickets were sold out, and there were 1mn enquiries for tickets.

Unfortunately due to the smaller pitch dimensions of American Football, a large area of the pitch was 'lost'.









Unlike all American Football stadiums, Wembley has a grand total of 0 parking spaces. No fewer than 3 train stations serve the stadium to compensate for that, Wembley Park station is off in the distance.

Of interest, a few towers and lots of residential units will be built on the area in view of this photo over the coming years.






Colchester United: 10,000 - U/C










02 Arena: 20,000 - Complete

The 02 Arena also staged its first NBA game (netball for guys ) between Boston and Minnessota.

[nito]

Olympic Stadium - 80,000 - u/c






London unveils 2012 stadium plan

BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/othe...12/7081346.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/othe...12/7081346.stm

London 2012 officials have revealed the much-anticipated design for their new £496m Olympic Stadium.

http://www.london2012.com/blog/2007/...ium-design.php

"No-one can say we've compromised on design, comprised on sustainability or comprised on the legacy potential," said Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has already revealed work on the 80,000-seater stadium will begin three months ahead of schedule in April 2008.

It was initially expected to cost £280m but the costs have since been revised.


Last Updated: Wednesday, 7 November 2007, 12:11 GMT
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
London unveils 2012 stadium plan

The stadium will be the showpiece of the Games

Enlarge Image
London 2012 officials have revealed the much-anticipated design for their new £496m Olympic Stadium.

"No-one can say we've compromised on design, comprised on sustainability or comprised on the legacy potential," said Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has already revealed work on the 80,000-seater stadium will begin three months ahead of schedule in April 2008.

It was initially expected to cost £280m but the costs have since been revised.

Animation of how London's 2012 stadium will look
How the site was cleared for the stadium

Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee, told a news conference on Wednesday that the stadium would be a "stadium for a new era".

"It's a stadium that delivers on everything we said we would deliver on; a stadium with track and field as its primary legacy; a stadium that will be reduced from 80,000 seats in Olympic mode to a 25,000-seater community base," he said.

Jowell added: "This is a very important Olympic milestone and this stadium is focused very much on legacy and sustainability.

"Once the Games are over this will then be translated into a stadium that will not only host grand prix athletics events and other national sport events but will also serve the communities of the boroughs."

She also felt the stadium would be a great addition to the capital's sporting facilities.

"This augments and compliments the other great stadia that London now has - Wembley, the Emirates and the new development at Twickenham," she said.

The stadium will be the centrepiece for the 2012 Games and will host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics events.

The main features of the design are:

* a sunken bowl built into the ground for the field of play and lower permanent seating, designed to bring spectators close to the action
* 25,000 permanent seats, 55,000 demountable
* a cable-supported roof that will stretch 28 metres the whole way around the stadium, providing cover for two-thirds of spectators
* a fabric curtain will wrap around the stadium structure, acting as additional protection and shelter for spectators
* facilities such as catering and merchandising will be grouped into self-contained 'pod' structures

Chief architect Rob Sheard, of HoK Sport, said the stadium would make a big impact, but not in the same way that previous Olympic stadia had.

"This is not a stadium that's going to be screaming from the rooftops that it's bigger and more spectacular," he said. "This is just a cleverer building. This is a cleverer solution."

He added that the ability to convert the stadium from an 80,000-seater venue to a 25,000 one once the Olympics and Paralympics had finished was highly innovative and showed great forward thinking.

"We've ended up with a very tight, very compelling bowl," said Sheard. "The atmosphere inside this bowl, we think, will be pretty special."

HOK Sport is a firm of architects with a proven record for designing sporting venues.

It has been responsible for such projects as Wembley Stadium, the Millennium Stadium, the O2 Arena, the Emirates Stadium and Ascot Racecourse.

Building work on the Olympic Stadium, which will stand at the heart of the Olympic Park, will have to be finished at least six months ahead of the opening ceremony in July 2012 to allow for test events to take place.

The stadium build is being led by construction firm Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd in a partnership including architects HoK Sport and consulting engineers Buro Happold.

"It's absolutely non-negotiable that it has to be ready on time," said Radio 5 Live sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar.

"They've got a large contingency fund if things go wrong but they don't want to spend more than that.

"If it's not ready on time, that is probably the greatest shame the nation has faced in years. But it will be."

After the Games have finished, the temporary seating will be taken away and the stadium will become a 25,000-capacity venue with a permanent athletics track.

An anchor tenant such as a lower-league football or rugby club is actively being sought, but one has yet to be found.

London mayor Ken Livingstone said major football clubs such as West Ham would not be able to become tenants.

He said: "We made a commitment there would be a permanent athletics facility and we have honoured that commitment.

"For West Ham, we have identified a site much better-suited to their needs."

The ODA will be hoping for a positive response from the general public to the Olympic Stadium design following the criticism that the official 2012 logo received in June.








==========================


The design of this stadium is such that it could be used as a template for an Olympics in Africa, in complete contrast to the Beijing stadium.




Tottenham plan stadium expansion

BBC News, Monday, 5 November 2007, 23:32 GMT http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ur/7080067.stm

Tottenham have turned to a man who played a major role in the development of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium to help them build a venue of similar quality.

Tony Winterbottom, formerly of the London Development Authority, is now masterminding plans to expand Spurs' White Hart Lane ground to about 52,000.

The project would cost in the region of £300m of which £150m would be borrowed.

But it would mean Spurs having to vacate White Hart Lane for two seasons, and may have to share with West Ham.

A couple of years ago Tottenham were very keen to become permanent tenants at Wembley but the Football Association did not want that.

Now Tottenham have again approached Wembley to inquire about playing some of their matches there while they rebuild White Hart Lane.

But Wembley want a lot of money to hire the stadium and Tottenham may only consider it worthwhile that top matches, such as the derby with north London rivals Arsenal, are played there.

So they have also spoken to West Ham, with a view to playing the less high-profile matches at Upton Park.

The problem with West Ham is that the Hammers are themselves thinking about building a new stadium, so that might complicate things too.

Another solution might be to share the Emirates Stadium with Arsenal but that seems fraught with difficulty, particularly with the present rivalry between the fans.

Consequently, there is also talk of Tottenham playing some matches at a ground outside London.

But while rebuilding White Hart Lane is the preferred option for Spurs, there are two other alternatives that are being considered.

One is to develop some land just north of White Hart Lane.

This would mean Tottenham would continue to play at White Hart Lane while the new stadium was built.

Or they could develop one of a couple of possible sites in Enfield, but that would mean a new stadium quite some distance from their current ground. Redeveloping White Hart Lane is definitely the number one choice and Paul Phillips, a project manager at Emirates, is also helping Tottenham.

Spurs have also got high-powered architect Ken Shuttleworth, who is the right-hand man of Norman Foster, whose company designed the new Wembley, on board.


====================================


Stadiums in London over 50,000 capacity due in the period of 2008-2018:

Wembley - 90,000
Twickenham - 82,000
Olympic Stadium - 80,000
Emirates Stadium - 60,000
New Boleyn Ground - 60,000
Re-built Stamford Bridge - 60,000
New White Hart Lane - 52,000

To host a world cup, you need 12 stadiums of a seating capacity of over 40,000. London would probably have 7 stadiums by 2018 with a capacity over 50,000 and another 5 x 40,000-50,000 stadiums, including: the proposed expansion of The Valley, a new Craven Cottage (long planned), and temporarily expanded Selhurst Park, Lords Cricket Ground and Oval.

Unfortunately London isn't an independent nation..........yet

[Chicago2020]

Interesting design for the Olympic Stadium. Just proves that not all designs are final. Looks a lot the Chicago Olympic Stadium

Can't wait until 2012

[nito]

Originally Posted by Chicago2020

Interesting design for the Olympic Stadium. Just proves that not all designs are final. Looks a lot the Chicago Olympic Stadium

Can't wait until 2012

I don't believe any winning bid has opted for the stadium shown in the original bid. The Beijing winning bid was to use an already built stadium, but is now using a new stadium. Same for Athens, Sydney, etc...

The winnings bids are based upon the regeneration of the areas and impact upon athletics, and not the aesthetics of the stadiums.

[nito]

Apologies for the lack of an update!

London 2012 Olympic Stadium, 80,000 capacity

The Stadium Island - bowl is being dug out. Pic sourced by DarJoLe from flickr.






02 Arena

Royal Albert Hall and O2 named best live venues in world
Evening Standard, 08.02.08

London has been hailed the live entertainment centre of the world as the O2 arena and the Royal Albert Hall last night picked up prestigious concert industry awards in the US.

The 20,000-capacity O2, built within the former Millennium Dome in Greenwich, was voted Best New Concert Venue and Best International Arena of the Year at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards at LA's Nokia Theatre. The Royal Albert Hall, the 19th-century Kensington venue, was named International Theatre Of The Year.

Both venues had a hugely successful 2007, particularly the O2 which sold more than a million tickets. Despite only opening in June, it hosted concerts by the Rolling Stones, the Spice Girls, Barbra Streisand, Prince and Led Zeppelin's "comeback gig of the decade".

Accepting its two awards, David Campbell, CEO of AEG Europe which owns and operates the O2, quoted rockers Linkin Park who recently played there. "Leave it to London to build the biggest, baddest venue in the world," he said.

The Royal Albert Hall has won praise for revamping its proms and gala calendar with edgier concerts.



Pic by Downfallen.

[Complex01]

Love that pic. Looks very awesome.

Man great stadiums. Look at all those people. That is just something else...

[Shep]

Mr Taylor, your doing an awesome job on this and long may you continue this!

Updates on White Hart Lane are especially important!

[nito]

Falmer Stadium - Approved, 25,000

A render of the new Falmer Stadium has been released - located on the edge of Brighton next to a railway line. The initial capacity will be 25,000 but is being built to handle a future larger capacity.

Work will start later this year.

[nito]

Spurs consider White Hart Lane exit for 55,000-seat stadium

David Hytner, Wednesday April 9, 2008, The Guardian

Tottenham Hotspur are exploring the possibility of building a new stadium on the trading estate that is adjacent to White Hart Lane. The Wingate estate is to the north of the ground, behind Paxton Road and between the High Road and Worcester Avenue. The club has identified it as an option, as they seek to increase capacity and, in turn, revenue streams.

The club's other option is to stay put and expand White Hart Lane, which can presently hold 36,310 fans. The global credit crunch has made fundraising for major capital projects difficult and it may turn out to be more viable to develop the existing stadium. There is a desire for at least another 15,000 seats, although expansion plans are complicated because the ground is boxed in on all sides.

If Tottenham made the short hop to Wingate - having first been granted planning permission and reached agreement with the businesses there - they could seek to build a 55-60,000 seat stadium.




2012 Olympic Site

The Olympic Park, Olympic Village & Stratford City









Aquatic Centre



Olympic Stadium












Media Centre



Energy Centre

[nito]

Aquatic Centre - 2012 Olympics - U/C
Design by Zaha Hadid

























Grey Leighs Racecourse - New Stand - U/C

Trainers and jockeys back new racecourse
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/display.v...racecourse.php
Great Leighs Website - http://www.greatleighs.com/article.php?id=2

THE first official trials have taken place at the new Great Leighs Racecourse, with 20 horses working over distances from five to ten furlongs.

The trials took place on Sunday on the Polytrack course, an 8-furlong, left-handed oval, built to exceed the British Horseracing Authority's minimum specifications.

Ed Dunlop, one of the trainers whose horses took part in the trials, said: "I was very impressed with the racecourse. The jockeys who rode for me were happy with the track.

"Obviously, not all of the racecourse is finished yet and there are things that need ironing out. But I was happy to bring the horses and glad I came. Great Leighs will be a huge asset."

Another trainer, Gay Kelleway, added: "There hasn't been a new racecourse in my lifetime, so it gave me a real buzz to come here.

"It will take all-weather to a new level. It should go global; it is built like an American track and, providing the prize-money is on offer, it's going to attract a lot of interest from overseas, not just Britain and Ireland.

"It's in a very good catchment area to attract new owners and syndicates."

Preview race meetings will be held at the racecourse this month and next, with admission by invitation only. The first meeting open to the public takes place on May 28









Rose Bowl - Capacity Increase to 25,000
Rose Bowl set for expansion
Redevelopment plans get the go-ahead at Hampshire
Last updated: 1st April 2008

Hampshire are set to increase the capacity of the Rose Bowl by 5,000 after the club were granted planning permission to begin £45million development work.

Eastleigh Borough Council have unanimously approved the planning application which encompasses the construction of two new covered seating stands.

Hospitality, media and other facilities will be developed as the capacity of the Rose Bowl increases from 20,000 to 25,000 - making it one of the largest grounds in the country.

A 175-bedroom hotel is also to be built around the northern end of the ground which will include spa and conference facilities.

Rooms overlooking the pitch will convert to hospitality suites and media facilities during major matches at the venue, with the nine-hole golf course set to be developed into an 18-hole course.

The design of the new facilities will make the Rose Bowl the first model Test Match ground in the UK and will enhance the grounds opportunities to host Test cricket.

Rose Bowl plc chairman Rod Bransgrove said: "This decision is good news for the Rose Bowl and English cricket in general.

"It represents one more important step on our journey to build a truly world class stadium and the first model Test Match ground."

The existing nine-hole golf course will be transformed into an 18-hole course after Eastleigh Borough Council approved the application.

Rose Bowl plc chairman Rod Bransgrove said: “This decision is good news for The Rose Bowl and English cricket in general as it represents one more important step on our journey to build a truly world class stadium and the first model Test match ground.”

Rose Bowl plc Group managing director Glenn Delve added: “I would like to thank the members of Eastleigh Borough Council for approving our application which allows us to move to the next stage in the development of this fabulous stadium, a facility which will bring enormous economic, social, sporting and community benefits to Eastleigh and south Hampshire in general.”