This week in Sports Construction News – Work has been completed to transform Scotland’s national football stadium into an athletics venue in time for next month’s Commonwealth Games. Suters Architects’ Maribyrnong Sports Academy at Maribyrnong Secondary College was highly commended in the Public Design award category at the Australian Interior Design Awards 2011 earlier this year. OAKLEIGH soccer clubs could be out of pocket up to $26,000 a year for playing on a new synthetic pitch at Jack Edwards Reserve.The designs for a new $55 million velodrome to be built in Brisbane ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been released with a locally based firm winning the design contract. With the World Cup beginning today the issue of ambush marketing is once again likely to raise its head, Stephen von Muenster looks at some of the issues around the practice. The thrill of owning a stake in Manchester United (and the bragging rights that come with it) was too much for Hua Hsu to resist.Venues for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™ (GC2018) are set to be delivered well ahead of schedule, with the Queensland Government’s progress being given the tick by the world’s Commonwealth Games Federation.A streamlined planning process has been put in place to ensure Melbourne and Olympic Parks remain among the world’s greatest sporting precincts.The addition of Margaret Court Arena (MCA) as a third retractable-roof stadium at Melbourne Park will officially ‘weatherproof’ the Australian Open, according to Tennis Australia Chief Executive Craig Tiley.
Hampden Park ready for 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games
4 June 2014 – News Glasgow & West Scotland
Work has been completed to transform Scotland’s national football stadium into an athletics venue in time for next month’s Commonwealth Games.
The finished Hampden Park venue will be the focal point for nearly 50 track and field disciplines, contested by more than 1,000 athletes, over seven days.
The stadium’s surface was raised almost two metres to give it the width and length for an athletics track.
Eight rows of seats were also removed to accommodate the track.
Sports Academy at Maribyrnong Secondary College by Suters Architects
8/ 25/ 2011 – Architecture AU
Suters Architects’ Maribyrnong Sports Academy at Maribyrnong Secondary College was highly commended in the Public Design award category at the Australian Interior Design Awards 2011 earlier this year.
The first of its kind in Victoria, the Sports Academy is a purpose-built facility for achieving excellence in sport. The facility can be used seven days a week, fifteen hours a day, by both the school and the local community and enables talented student athletes to balance their academic and sporting goals in an athlete-friendly setting.
The concept for the building is based on the idea of precognition or pre-visualization – focusing on the goal. As a form of spatial precognition, the design provides early spatial hints and snapshots of the moments that an elite sports star will experience. The underbelly of a stadium, entering a sporting arena, the running track, the corporate box, the hall of heroes are all experiences that will form the psyche of every sports star.
Clubs and players will pay higher fees when new synthetic turf pitch is built at Jack Edwards Reserve in Oakleigh
6/ 11/ 2014 – Leader Community Newspapers
OAKLEIGH soccer clubs could be out of pocket up to $26,000 a year for playing on a new synthetic pitch at Jack Edwards Reserve.
The $1.3 million pitch will come with a hefty price tag, with annual fees for the Oakleigh Cannons Football Club set to triple in the first year.
Monash Council will increase the hourly cost of using the pitch over the next three years.
Fees for the Cannons, which use the reserve for 30 hours a week, will rise from about $4,200 to $13,200 in 2014-15.
Oakleigh Cannons chairman Kon Kavalakis said fee increases would inflame the financial struggles of local clubs.
Mr Kavalakis said registration fees are likely to rise to offset the club’s operational costs, which could see players across its 33 senior and junior sides deflect to rival clubs with more affordable playing fees.
Architects announced for the ‘world class’ velodrome being built at Chandler for the 2018 Commonwealth Games
6/ 13 /14- The Courier Mail
THE designs for a new $55 million velodrome to be built in Brisbane ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games have been released with a locally based firm winning the design contract.
State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jeff Seeney will today announce Cox Rayner Architects has won the contract to design the facility which will be built at Chandler in Brisbane.
“A world-class velodrome will be built at the Sleeman Sports Complex beside the SuperX BMX track, setting the complex up to become a cycling mecca,” Mr Seeney said of the project.
He said Cox Rayner Architects’ submission scored highly in terms of capability, relevant experience, comparative cost and knowledge of the sports complex.
Kicking goals in ambush marketing
6 / 13 /14: Stephen von Muenster – Mumbrella
With the World Cup beginning today the issue of ambush marketing is once again likely to raise its head, Stephen von Muenster looks at some of the issues around the practice.
With the FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the issue of ambush marketing is again at the forefront of discussion. Forming a key concern for event organisers, partners, sponsors and fans, ambush marketing is an attempt by a third party to create a direct or indirect association with a sport event or its participants without their permission.
Major sports events, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup, present excellent opportunities for international brand exposure, so it comes as no surprise that entities engage in ambush marketing in an attempt to reap the associated commercial benefits of such coverage.
Love sports? Buy your own team — or part of one
6 / 11 /14: Vikram Barhat – Capital
The thrill of owning a stake in Manchester United (and the bragging rights that come with it) was too much for Hua Hsu to resist.
So when the leading English Premier League club floated its initial public offering in 2012, he scooped up a block of shares, at $14.02 apiece, as soon as the stock started trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
“I’m a Manchester United supporter and I found the idea of buying stock in the club really novel,” said Hsu, the 36-year-old assistant English professor at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, in the US.
The club’s public debut gave millions of footie fans a chance to experience what it feels like to “own a piece the club they support,” Hsu said. “I’ve always been fascinated by how we find and forge our allegiances, particularly at a time when clubs like Man United aspire for global reach.”
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games venues on target
6 / 13 /14 – Queensland Government
Venues for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™ (GC2018) are set to be delivered well ahead of schedule, with the Queensland Government’s progress being given the tick by the world’s Commonwealth Games Federation.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the Queensland Government and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) were on target to deliver three new sporting venues and major upgrades to eight others.
“This $320 million investment in sport and community infrastructure will generate up to 30,000 jobs and inject $2 billion into our economy,” Mr Seeney said.
“I am pleased to report that the Commonwealth Games Federation has also approved the final list of sports and venues for the Games which details that some planned temporary locations will now become permanent venues, creating an even stronger legacy for Queenslanders.”
Plans progress quickly for Melbourne Park upgrades
6/ 12 /14 –Premier of Victoria
A streamlined planning process has been put in place to ensure Melbourne and Olympic Parks remain among the world’s greatest sporting precincts.
Minister for Planning Matthew Guy has approved an amendment to the Melbourne Planning Scheme to help facilitate the ongoing redevelopment of the iconic sports precinct.
“The $338 million in upgrades to the Melbourne and Olympic Parks precinct will make sure this city remains the sporting capital of the world, and will help attract the best sporting, music and cultural events,” Mr Guy said.
“This new planning process will allow for timely works as the redevelopment progresses, through quick and efficient updates to the precinct’s master plan. This will help speed up some exciting upgrades to the precinct as well as upgrades further down the line as plans for a third stage progress. It’s all about ensuring our sporting capital can continue to deliver the major events that we’re renowned for.”
New roof on Margaret Court Arena will ‘weatherproof’ the Australian Open
6/11/14 – Australasian Leisure Management
The addition of Margaret Court Arena (MCA) as a third retractable-roof stadium at Melbourne Park will officially ‘weatherproof’ the Australian Open, according to Tennis Australia Chief Executive Craig Tiley.
Outlining plans for the 2015 tournament, Tiley explained “plans for Australian Open 2015 are well underway and we look forward to unveiling the new MCA, which promises to be one of the finest tennis stadiums in the world.”
New initiatives announced for Australian Open 2015 include the ticketing of Margaret Court Arena, with ground pass holders gaining access to more than 9,500 general admission seats at Hisense Arena.
Tiley added “the retractable roof at MCA, along with ground pass entry for fans at Hisense, will ensure more fans than ever before have access to uninterrupted tennis action, whatever the weather.
“The redevelopment and stadium upgrades mean we could technically complete all Australian Open matches even with a fortnight of solid rain.
“We are very proud to lead the way in world tennis as the only Grand Slam with three retractable roof venues, and MCA will feature what we believe to be the world’s fastest moving stadium roof, which will open or close in just five minutes.