THE redeveloped Bowl Stadium at the National Sports Centre (NSC) in Douglas was officially opened yesterday (Tuesday).

Around £3.3million has been spent on the facility which will be the focal point of the Commonwealth Youth Games in September.

Community, Culture and Leisure Minister David Cretney MHK performed the official opening.

He 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"The previous, out of date Bowl has been transformed into a flagship sporting venue that will enable up and coming sports men and women to challenge the best visiting and local players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."

There are 3,000 seats in the stadium - a third of which are undercover.

Other features include a viewing platform for disabled people, the synthetic grass pitch, which is approved by FIFA for all levels of football competition and the International Rugby Board for Rugby Sevens, four floodlights and new purpose built male and female toilet facilities and a ticket kiosk.

Auldyn Construction Limited was the main contractor for the redevelopment project and it was 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 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 and schools at the same charge as the present NSC facilities.

It will also be used by the Isle of Man Football Association as the national stadium for the Island and St Mary's AFC home ground for football fixtures.