Stadium
| Westpac Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Ring of Fire | |
| Location | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Broke ground | 12 March 1998 |
| Opened | 3 January 2000 |
| Owner | Wellington Regional Stadium Trust |
| Operator | Wellington Regional Stadium Trust |
| Construction cost | $130 million NZD |
| Architect |
Architecture Warren & Mahoney Ltd Populous (then Bligh Lobb Sports Architecture) |
| Capacity | 34,500 |
Wellington Phoenix FC have played most of its home matches at the Westpac Stadium (referred to as the 'Ring of Fire' by fans). The Stadium has a capacity of 34,500. Field dimensions: length (North to South) 235 metres, width (West to East) 185 metres. The NZD$130 million stadium was built in 1999 by Fletcher Construction and is situated close to major transport facilities (such as Wellington Railway Station) one kilometre north of the central business district.
The location of the Stadium near the Wellington Railway Station is a huge convenience since fans can catch the train and be walking distance from the Stadium. The Stadium is owned and operated by Wellington Regional Stadium Trust. It is built on surplus-to-requirements reclaimed railway land on the waterfront.
Home fans sit in the southern and western areas of the stadium, while away fans sit to the north.
In the 2009–2010 A-league season, Wellington Phoenix FC played two home games away from Westpac Stadium, the first at FMG Stadium in Palmerston North, the second at AMI Stadium in Christchurch. The two games were key to Wellington Phoenix expanding their fan base in New Zealand. This was followed by playing a game in Auckland at Eden Park in front of 20,078 attendees during the 2011–2012 A-league season.
The Phoenix trains at Newtown Park, on a ground that was specially redeveloped in 2008 and separate to the playing pitch. This ground is shared with NZFC franchise, Team Wellington.
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Main pitch, Newtown Park
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Westpac Stadium as seen from Wadestown.
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The Westpac Stadium entrance.
Read more about this topic: Wellington Phoenix FC
Famous quotes containing the word stadium:
“In their eyes I have seen
the pin men of madness in marathon trim
race round the track of the stadium pupil.”
—Patricia K. Page (b. 1916)
“The final upshot of thinking is the exercise of volition, and of this thought no longer forms a part; but belief is only a stadium of mental action, an effect upon our nature due to thought, which will influence future thinking.”
—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)
“It’s no accident that of all the monuments left of the Greco- Roman culture the biggest is the ballpark, the Colosseum, the Yankee Stadium of ancient times.”
—Walter Wellesley (Red)