Valencia CF New Stadium

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Valencia intent on having the World's Best Football Stadium for the 2010 Champion's League Final

Added: (Thu Jan 25 2007)

Valencia Football Club will begin construction of its new stadium this March intent on building a stadium befitting the city's ever increasing global exposure and international presence. Sailing's Olympics, the America's Cup will drop anchor in Valencia this June with the Louis Vuitton Cup in April.It appears that Formula 1 is also on the way to Valencia given the hugely successful launch of McLaren Mercedes new formula 1 car for 2007 in the city only last week. A city circuit taking in the "City of the Sciences" and the America's Cup Marina which is to be named the "Juan Carlos 1st Royal Marina of Valencia" appears to be the preferred circuit of Bernie Ecclestone as opposed to using the city's racetrack just outside the city at Cheste.

The new stadium which has been designed by Reid Fenwick Associates and Arup Sport is in the shape of a bowl built of aluminium, glass and wood. Needless to say the design is unique and takes as its inspiration the Turia riverbed which runs through the city. The course of the riverbed will be represented on the aluminium facade by wood and glass. A map of each of the city's 19 districts will also be moulded onto the facade symbolising the city wrapping itself around the team in support.

The bowl shape design has been used to concentrate the energy of the public in the stadium. The pitch will be below street level so as to reduce the height of the stadium and to allow it to be elevated for use during athletic competitions. The Valencian government is keen on attracting the World Athletic Championships at some stage in the future. The stadium will have a capacity of 75,000 reduced to 51,000 during athletic events.

Building will start in March of this year with a completion date of 2009. The stadium will be built on a site of 70,000 sqm. The present stadium in Mestalla will be replaced by 9 tower blocks of 16 storeys comprising 90,000 sqm. The pitch will be preserved as a park.

The new stadium will have offices, theme shops, a conference centre, space for supporter's events, a restaurant, 4 coffee shops, a kindergarten and 75 points of sale for snacks.

The stadium has already a metro and tram servicing the site and is situated next to one of the city's principal motorways. The stadium will also have parking space for 2,600 cars. It is also surrounded by newly built first class hotels such as the Hilton.

The club expects to have a sponsor whose name will be used on the stadium while at the same time keeping its present name : Mestalla. €100 million is the figure that the club has in mind re the potential revenue which such sponsorship could bring.In addition the club expects to make up to €300 million from the development project which will take place on the site in Mestalla where the present stadium is.

All going well the new stadium will be finished by 2009 and the Valencian management as well as the Valencian government expect the 2010 Champions League Final to be played in Valencia. What better way to celebrate the construction of the World's Best Stadium but to showcase the World's Premiere Club Football Final.

You can have a look at the plans for the stadium via the following link to the Valencia Club Site :

http://213.162.200.230/lanzador/lanzaHTM.asp?Pagina=INFORMACION-COMPLETA-FUTURO-ESTADIO.htm&IdBanner=156

Article by Dermot Quinn, Valencia Property Hound Ltd