Australia’s Adelaide Oval stadium is set to undergo a A$9m (£5.6m/€6.4m/$6.9m) upgrade to its sound and light capabilities.
The Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority (SMA) will add hundreds of energy-efficient LED lights throughout the grandstands, along with multicoloured displays synchronised with music via 248 devices.
The upgrade, which is being funded through a A$9m loan over eight years, is expected to begin in a few weeks. It is projected to be complete in time for the Day/Night Ashes Test cricket match in December.
The stadium is mostly used for cricket and Aussie rules football, but it also plays host to rugby league, rugby union, football and concerts.
An additional 220 LED lights will interchange with the existing luminous globes on the leading edge of the Eastern, Riverbank and Western stands. John Olsen, the Oval SMA chairman said this would cut the Oval’s electricity bill, which last year rose by A$800,000, according to Adelaide-based newspaper The Advertiser.
The lighting through the stadium roofline will allow the Oval to reflect the colours of the nation or teams on the field through the stadium’s architecture.
The upgraded HD LED ribbon boards will run 360 degrees around the stadium on three tiers.
Olsen said: “We benchmark ourselves against the leading stadia around the world and this upgrade will ensure we remain on the pace of innovation demanded by international event promoters.
“It will also enable us to give crowds at Adelaide Oval the kind of light and sound spectacular that you see at Juventus Stadium or Stamford Bridge.
“This announcement represents a significant borrowing by the SMA, but one we believe is integral to our responsibilities as stadium manager and underpins our ability to continue to attract the big events that have made Adelaide Oval South Australia’s premier event venue.”
The SMA is a joint venture between the South Australian Cricket Association and the South Australian National Football League, which bears all the risk on annual operations and repayment of loans. SMA chief executive Andrew Daniels said the project had the unanimous support of Cricket Australia, SACA, SANFL, the AFL and the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs.
The renovation has been designed in partnership with Kojo, Big Screen Video, Sarah Constructions and Mott MacDonald, and the Adelaide Oval SMA.
“We have worked very closely with our major partners to develop an upgrade that will enable cricket, football and other event promoters to continue to enhance the fan experience at Adelaide Oval – an experience that is already recognised as arguably the best in Australia,” Daniels said.
“This is the biggest upgrade since the opening of the redeveloped Adelaide Oval and, when combined with initiatives such as the Commonwealth Bank RoofClimb, our LIVE on 5 Fringe venue and concerts such as Adele, it demonstrates our commitment to keeping Adelaide Oval at the forefront of global stadia.”
