Stadium
Main article is Rafiq El Hariri Stadium
| Martyr Rafiq El-Hariri Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Former names | Al-Manara Stadium |
| Location | Beirut, Lebanon |
| Coordinates | 33°53′40″N 35°28′10″E / 33.89444°N 35.46944°E / 33.89444; 35.46944Coordinates: 33°53′40″N 35°28′10″E / 33.89444°N 35.46944°E / 33.89444; 35.46944 |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Renovated | June 2003 – March 2004 |
| Owner | Nejmeh SC |
| Operator | Nejmeh SC |
| Surface | Grass |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Tenants | |
| Nejmeh SC (1934 – present) | |
The Club stadium is located in Al Manara area, Beirut, Lebanon. The stadium consists of a football field, and spaces that accommodate around 5,000 spectators, together with a VIP seats area that accommodates around 100 guests, a cafeteria, and a gymnasium. The club stadium was under rehabilitation including implanting the field with grass, increasing the seats spaces to allow more spectators, and enhancing the stadium facilities, walls, & fences. The first phase of the process started in June 2003 and was completed in late March 2004.
The stadium field was implanted with natural grass of the highest quality to provide the first team players with the best training conditions in Lebanon.
In this direction, the administration took a wise decision to relocate the youth teams training sessions to a different field in Bir Hassan area to avoid pressure on the newly implanted grass by the large number of players.
The second phase of the rehabilitation process including enhancing the club facilities, walls, & fences are currently underway and shall be completed later in 2004. A tour visit for Sheikh Bahaaedine Hariri was arranged. This rehabilitation process was among the first objectives of the current club administration headed by president Mohammad Fanj and guided by Sheikh Bahaaeddine Hariri who made the visit to the old stadium in 28 March 2003 to witness the conditions of the stadium, and listen to the views, and demands of the team players, staff, & club administration.
The old club stadium first consisted of a sand training field over the land number 704 in Ras Beirut area with no facilities or fences. The club teams used to practice under poor conditions. The former club administrations had worked very hard on enhancing the conditions by first building players facilities & administration offices around the stadium in 1969, the wall followed in 1974. The fact that the old stadium used to host the daily training sessions of all the club teams including around 150 players, as well as many official & friendly matches for most of the football teams in Lebanon didn't allow the implantation of natural grass. The dream become true in year 2004, and the fans can now enjoy the sight of their first team training on a professional field in order to achieve the best results in the local and regional competitions. On Monday, 21 February 2005 the club stadium was named "The Martyr Rafiq Hariri Stadium".
Read more about this topic: Al-Nejmeh SC
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