Independence Stadium (Bakau)

Cultural events

The Independence Stadium ( rarely, Independence National Stadium ) is the only major stadium and thus the National Stadium of the West African country Gambia.

The Gambian nation is highly enthusiastic about the football, in the town of Bakau in the management unit Greater Banjul Area, there is a large stadium. Football is so popular that the sport is discharged of first and second division to the national championship in the country. In Bakau the Gambia national football team carries ( called The Scorpions ) from their games. Bakau is about eleven kilometers west of the capital Banjul and removed about five kilometers north of Serekunda. In international matches is as a venue often Banjul specified, but it is this stadium meant.

The construction

The stadium, which can hold 40,000 spectators ( according to other sources only 25,000 ), was built by the Chinese in the context of a development aid project complete with floodlights. The 38 million U.S. dollars ( equivalent to about 29 million euros ) expensive stadium for international matches but is still too small.

Before the building was created in the early 1980s, was used as the National Stadium Box Bar Stadium in Banjul. The first game in the SS Ceesay Trophy Final was held on 13 November 1984. It took place between Banjul Hawks Football Club against the Starlight Gunners.

Use

The stadium is also used for cultural events, the Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour has repeatedly occurred at well-attended concerts here.

The stadium is also used by the government to perform ceremonies. For example, on National Day, February 18, the Independence Day, or the day of the military coup under the current president Yahya Jammeh, July 22. In 2004, ten years after the military coup, or the Gambian government that day titled "10th Anniversary of July 22nd Revolution - a landmark of Development, Progress and Democracy under President Jammeh " found in this stadium celebrations together with high-level invited guests.

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