Fans of Hampshire Cricket Club are to be asked to help pay for creating the largest cricket venue in the UK after Lord’s in a bid to host matches at the next two Ashes series to be held in Britain.
The plans, expected to be announced this week, will contribute to the club’s effort to increase capacity to a maximum 25,000 at the proposed £48m stadium.
The scheme, which could raise up to £4m, will see Rose Bowl, the company that runs the stadium, sell debenture seats for between £2,500 and £6,000 each.
Debenture holders will have the right to buy tickets for international matches staged at Hampshire between 2010 and the end of 2016. During this time, the club, which has star players such as Kevin Pietersen, will host Australia, India, Pakistan and South Africa.
The ground will stage its first Test match in 2011, while the club also plans to bid to host Ashes matches at the 2013 and 2016 series.
The bulk of the funding for the stadium expansion will come from Eastleigh Borough Council, which is injecting £30m into the project. This will pay for a new conference facility and hotel, including a new media centre. Additional finance could be raised by selling the naming rights to the ground and from other commercial deals, such as the catering contract.
Construction of two new stands at one end of the ground will raise the permanent capacity to 15,000 although the design will allow for the continued use of 10,000 extra seats when required. With a 25,000 capacity, the Rose Bowl would be larger than the Oval, at 23,000. Lord’s holds 28,000.
(Source: Timesonline.co.uk)
