Falmer Stadium
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Games of the Brighton & Hove Albion
- Rugby Union World Cup 2015
The Falmer Stadium is a football stadium near the English village of Falmer in the county of East Sussex. Falmer is about 8 to 10 kilometers from the city of Brighton. The owner and main user of the sports facility is the football club Brighton & Hove Albion ( Nickname: The Seagulls, The German gulls ). On 22 June 2010, the club announced that the Financial Services American Express has acquired the naming rights to the stadium. The official name is American Express Community Stadium; also abbreviated as The AMEX. The first official game at the stadium was held on 16 July 2011. It met Brighton & Hove Albion and Eastbourne Borough in the final of the Sussex Senior Cup together. Before more than 7,000 visitors, the home side won 2-0 at the new stadium gates. The official opening took place on 30 July. In a friendly match, the team of Tottenham Hotspur was a guest; the encounter ended with a 2:3 for the Hotspur. The first home game of the Football League Championship 2011/12 on August 6, 2011 Brighton met before 20,219 spectators at the Doncaster Rovers. The game ended with a 2-1 victory for the home team. The Rovers on 26 April 1997, the last opponent in the old stadium Goldstone Ground.
- 2.1 Rugby Union World Cup
- 2.2 Concerts
- 6.1 panoramic image
History
The long road from the Goldstone Ground by Falmer
From 1902 to 1997, the Goldstone Ground was the home of the sporting Brighton & Hove Albion. Due to financial problems, and to avoid a bankruptcy, the club sold the property of the Goldstone Ground. In May 1997, the club was left without a compatible match. For two seasons, the club came under the, 120 kilometers away Priestfield Stadium Gillingham FC. In 1999 the club got the approval of the municipal council of Brighton and Hove to use the Withdean Stadium in Brighton. The sports facility with a with facilities for athletics was very unpopular because of career between playing field and spectators at home as away fans.
The association planned Meanwhile the construction of a new stadium; which should end the homelessness of the team and the fans. In March 1998, they chose a site in Falmer next to the University of Sussex at the borders of the National Park South Downs National Park as a possible location. The land is conveniently located near the main road A27 and close to the Falmer Railway Station, the railway station of Falmer, located. On 17 October 1998, the decision was made for a site. The fans of the club were included in the selection; which would be the best place to build. From an initial list of 16 sites was selected from four building sites. The finest choice from the land went forth at the university.
On 6 May 1999, a referendum was scheduled. There, the questions were asked as to whether the new stadium of Albion to be built and whether it should be then built on the site Falmer. Prior to the citizen survey distributed supporters in a three-week leaflet campaign to the 104,000 households in Brighton and Hove. In the survey accounted for 56 701 votes, these were 83.5 % of the votes cast, for the construction of the football stadium and 44 985 votes (63.5 %) for the location of Falmer. In May 2002, fans gathered in a list of 61 452 signatures were handed over to the City Council with the requirement for a building permit for the stadium. The Planning Committee of the City Council voted clearly for the construction of a stadium in Falmer. It enrolled 9,643 fans to the city council, supported the complaint.
In October 2001, the Brighton & Hove Albion made an application for the building permit. The unitary authority Brighton and Hove gave approval in June 2002. This was followed in June 2003 a public inquiry. The Secretary of State concluded that additional sites should be checked for construction. On 1 December 2003, a delegation of Seagulls, led by Des Lynam and Norman Cook, to London in the 10 Downing Street and handed over the list with over 60,000 signatures and almost 10,000 letters from fans to the former, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott; To emphasize to the demand for the stadium.
On 27 November 2004 marched thousands of Albion fans, along with the club chairman Dick Knight; the manager Mark McGhee and former coach Micky Adams and the players, to the Congress of the Labour Party; to demonstrate for a new stadium. In early 2005, the second public inquiry was held. She had to the conclusion that none of the seven, alternative building sites were suitable for construction. In October 2005, John Prescott again awarded a building permit. This came before the District Lewes, Falmer and the council of the South Downs Joint Committee and residents on defense. Due to errors approval in November 2005 has been canceled and the club came to attorneys' fees of £ 90,000.
In July 2007, the association received back by the then Secretary of State for communities and local politics Hazel Blears, a building permit. Also in July, the first plans for the stadium were published. Shortly after the decision by Hazel Blears gave up the three biggest opponents ( District of Lewes, Falmer the community and the South Downs Joint Committee) their opposition to the stadium project and put no further judicial means use it. On September 4, 2007, the appeal period expired and the Brighton & Hove Albion was granted planning permission. Now, after nine years, the way to the new home of the Seagulls was paved.
Construction and Equipment
For the construction was as Main Contractor Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd responsible. Officially, work began on 17 December 2008. Plans for the stadium are from the KSS Group. The stadium has room for 22,500 visitors. It was designed for expansion to 30,000 seats. For the East Stand would get a top ranking and expanded the stadium corners. The cost of construction has been estimated at £ 93 million.
In October 2009, the work on the three-story grandstand could begin in the west and continue on the northern rank. Approximately one year after the start was set up in November 2009, the 165 meter-long roof arch of the opposite stand in the east. The second arc of the roof over the grandstand was installed in June 2010. End of May 2011 was the last construction was completed at the stadium and the stadium will be handed over to the club. The schedule could be maintained; despite changes and the bad weather in winter 2010. Around £ 3 million has been invested in the interior. The rooms have been furnished and equipped to plates, glasses and cutlery for the kitchen and restaurant in the stadium.
The stadium is equipped with 14 boxes, 2,500 business seats, a museum, offices and rooms for conferences, exhibitions, banquets, weddings, celebrations and similar events. On the East Stand of the Family Stand is for families and found on the Südrang the visiting fans their places. The parking lot at the University of Sussex, on weekends and 1,100 on weekdays 700 seats for visitors. Are 150 parking spaces for players and staff of the Association and for disabled visitors the facility on the north side of the stadium. Furthermore, there is still 220 bicycle parking spaces. Away from the football matches, the stadium can also be used for rugby and hockey games as well as music concerts.
In January 2012 the club announced to expand the stadium to 30,000 potential viewers. This was necessary in order to remain competitive, if you want to move up to the Premier League. Furthermore, a £ 22 million expensive modern training center and a football academy for the offspring produced. A total of £ 36 million will be invested in the expansion. In January 2013, the contracts for the construction of Träningszentrums were signed. The Brighton & Hove Albion received in April 2012, the authorization for the construction and prior to the 2012/13 season, the stadium was increased by 5,000 seats to 27,500. In March 2013, the number increased by a further addition to now 30,750 seats.
After removing a record attendance of 30,003 spectators was erected on May 4, 2013 in a game of Football League Championship against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Events
Rugby Union World Cup
The stadium in Falmer is one of the stages in the Rugby Union World Cup will be held in 2015.
Concerts
The first music concerts were given by the British DJ Fatboy Slim, even long-time fan of Brighton & Hove Albion, on 1 and 2 June 2012.
Awards
The stadium was in 2011 awarded the Architecture Award Structural Steel Design Award.
In May 2012, the Falmer Stadium sat at the Stadium Business Awards in Turin, Italy against seven other stadiums and got the New Venue Award.
Average attendance
In the last season 2010/11 in the infamous Withdean Stadium with track and field facility were only about 7,000 spectators to the games of Seagulls. The AMEX, as a pure football stadium without a running track, developed in a very short time in the crowds.
- 2010/11: 07 352 (Football League One)
- 2011/12: 20,028 (Football League Championship )
- 2012/13: 26,236 (Football League Championship )
Others
A special joke construction workers allowed themselves in the assembly of plastic seats. The stands are several sea gulls, after the nickname of the club, presented with seats. On the upper level of the grandstand, the workers have four white seats placed so that it appears has the gull would lose bird droppings. The club had to change this and the four seats were integrated into the bird tail. Brighton & Hove Albion called this purge.
Gallery
The illuminated stadium at night
The three-story grandstand
The Backstretch
Outdoor panorama of the stadium