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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:29 am Post subject: Keys for Wembley stadium handed to FA |
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The Football Association has finally taken control of the new Wembley Stadium, more than a year after it was originally scheduled to open.
Construction firm Multiplex handed over the keys late on Friday, signalling an end to its £757m building work.
The FA said it was a "significant step" towards staging May's FA Cup final at the new north London complex.
Works were originally scheduled to finish in January 2006, and the cost of the project has increased dramatically.
Test events
In a statement on the FA website, chief executive Brian Barwick said the handover was a "significant step towards staging this year's FA Cup final and opening the new Wembley Stadium".
But he said confirmation of whether the final on 19 May would take place at Wembley would only be given after two "ramp-up events" of up to 60,000 capacity to test the facilities.
"We have been preparing for a very long time and are delighted to finally get inside the stadium," he added.
The first of two test events needed to get a safety certificate will be a community day for 60,000 people on 17 March.
There will be a mini-football tournament on the day involving celebrity teams, and visitors will also help the organisers test facilities such as the turnstiles, escalators and toilets.
The second test event will be an England Under-21 match against their Italian counterparts on 24 March and, unless there are unforeseen problems, a safety certificate will be awarded in time for the FA Cup final to take place.
Pop star George Michael is scheduled to play the first concert at the revamped stadium on 9 June.
Tom Kelly, an official of the GMB union, which represents many of the workers involved in the building work at the stadium, said the complex was a "wonderful memorial to the craftsmanship of the skilled workers" involved.
He added: "We are proud of it and we are certain that Wembley will stage many dramatic and memorable events in the future."
BBC Online
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awwwwwwww at last!!
I wonder how many sets of keys they will have? Know doubt there will be some teething problems seats falling apart etc etc. |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Keys for Wembley stadium handed to FA |
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mark occomore wrote: |
I wonder how many sets of keys they will have? Know doubt there will be some teething problems seats falling apart etc etc. |
I hope they got a few spare sets!
I'm not sure why seats would fall apart though? Are they expecting unusually heavy customers. I would presume that they have made allowances for the increased mass of todays population. This was a problem with the old Wembley which had seating that reflected the slimmer wastelines of the 1970's. _________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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SantaFefan
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 11258 Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:20 am Post subject: |
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Yes, another great British achievement, twice the original price and a year late. What a joke.
It's probably out of date already. |
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Mark Mayhew
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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As a mad keen Chelsea fan I am really hoping we get to the FA Cup final this year and to see us win in this fantastic new stadium. |
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childprufe
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 212 Location: lincolnshire
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:55 pm Post subject: |
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I hope the toilets are better than the ones at the old Empire Stadium.
Perhaps George Michael will check them out.............. _________________ Standing on Ray Moore's shoulders |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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childprufe wrote: | I hope the toilets are better than the ones at the old Empire Stadium.
Perhaps George Michael will check them out.............. |
Thats if he manages to park his car in their carpark first! _________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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