Spanish LaLiga football club FC Barcelona appointed Turkish company Limak Construction to carry out the redevelopment of its Spotify Camp Nou stadium, with work beginning in May on the venture that is the focal point of the wider Espai Barça infrastructure plan.
In Major League Baseball (MLB), St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch selected a proposal from the Tampa Bay Rays and real estate company Hines to develop the site on which Tropicana Field, the team’s home stadium, currently sits. The Cleveland Guardians revealed plans for ‘Progressive Field Reimagined’, a redevelopment of its ballpark which will place a heavy emphasis on “social experiences”.
In India, the groundbreaking new 21,800-capacity Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela staged its first official event as the Hockey World Cup got underway. In the UK, two major arena projects saw their delivery dates slip.
The opening date for the new YTL Arena in Bristol was pushed back until late 2025 or early 2026, with the capacity of the venue set to be increased from 17,000 to 19,000. The Sage, a new arena and conference centre on Gateshead Quayside, saw its unveiling pushed back to 2025.
In major event news, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) declared it would take its Copa América back to the United States in 2024 under a strategic collaboration agreement signed with the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
Meanwhile, one of the stories of late 2022 came to a conclusion as bankrupt cryptocurrency firm FTX’s branding was removed from the home arena of the NBA’s Miami Heat after the naming rights deal between the two parties was officially terminated. Software company Kaseya came in as FTX’s replacement in April.
