Fast Facts

Stage 1 demolition works (Ponsford Stand) commenced on 30 September 2002.

• Construction was conducted in five stages, with completion by March 2006 for the Commonwealth Games.
• Demolition began at the southern end of the Ponsford Stand and headed northward, concluding at the eastern end of the Olympic Stand.
• Minimum capacity during construction was 70,000, with 80,000 for AFL Grand Finals.
• The ultimate capacity of the ground is 100,000, with a capacity of 97,000 for the Commonwealth Games due to the removal of some seating to enable the athletics track to be laid.
• Seats are approximately 30% bigger than the current northern stand and about 80% of seats are under roof cover.
• Total workforce: 550 people.
• Four tower cranes were used at any one time, with another 3-4 large mobile cranes
• Some general stats:
  - excavation of 142,000 cubic metres
  - 55,000 cubic metres of concrete to be poured
  - 17,000 lineal metres of precast seating plats
  - 5,500 tonnes of concrete reinforcing steel
  - main roof has 1,100 tonnes of structural steel and 5,300 lineal metres of steel cable supports
  - 6,000 sq. metres of glass roof area and 14,000 sq. metres of metal deck roof
  - 2,900 tonnes of other structural steel
  - 72,000 metres of TV broadcast cabling
  - main roof covers 80% of patrons
  - Two main video boards each of 108 sq. metres area
  - 540 TV monitors throughout the new stand
  - 13 escalators, 12 passenger lifts, 3 goods lifts
  - parking for 370 cars
  - new flat surface arena constructed
  - eight-lane athletics track installed and then removed as part of 2006 Commonwealth Games overlay.