Hon David Cretney MHK, Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure, performed the official opening of the Bowl Stadium at the NSC in Douglas earlier today (2 August 2011). Redeveloped at a cost of around ?3.3million, the Bowl Stadium will be the focal point in September when the Isle of Man hosts the Commonwealth Youth Games (7-13 September). Minister Cretney said: ‘This is an exceptional facility at the heart of our Island of Sport. The previous, out of date Bowl has been transformed into a flagship sporting venue that will enable upcoming sports men and women to challenge the best visiting and local players, and completes the jigsaw of the National Sports Centre. ‘The surface of the synthetic pitch is the same as Manchester United’s training ground at Carrington Road. The whole facility will be a wonderful legacy of the Commonwealth Youth Games and reinforces our standing as the nominated European Community of Sport 2012.’ The key features of the Bowl Stadium include: · Approximately 3,000 seater stadium, a third of which are under cover, plus a viewing platform for disabled users; · A full size Third Generation Synthetic Grass playing surface (generally known as a 3G Synthetic Pitch) approved by FIFA for all levels of football competition and the International Rugby Board for Rugby Sevens. The design life for these surfaces is generally seven to 10 years; · Four 500 lux Floodlights on 18m columns situated in each corner of the stadium; · New purpose built male and female toilet facilities and ticket kiosk. Auldyn Construction Limited was the main contractor for the redevelopment project, designed by architects Savage Chadwick. Construction on the Bowl Stadium started in July 2010 and it was completed in time for the Manx Youth Games’ closing ceremony held on 21 May this year. Day to day operation of the new sporting facility will be managed by the existing National Sports Centre management team. The pitch will be available for hire to local clubs, schools, etc at the same charge as the present NSC facilities. It will also be used by the IOM Football Association as the national stadium for the Island and St Mary’s AFC home ground for football fixtures. Following the official opening, guests had the opportunity to tour the adjacent NSC facilities, including the new outdoor changing block and the Isle of Man Sport Institute premises. ENDS