*** Welcome to piglix ***

AJ Bell Stadium

AJ Bell Stadium
AJ Bell Stadium logo.png
Salford City Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 2865260.jpg
AJ Bell Stadium
Full name AJ Bell Stadium
Former names Salford City Stadium
Location

1 Stadium Way,

Barton-upon-Irwell,
M30 7EY
England
Coordinates 53°28′10″N 2°22′30″W / 53.46944°N 2.37500°W / 53.46944; -2.37500Coordinates: 53°28′10″N 2°22′30″W / 53.46944°N 2.37500°W / 53.46944; -2.37500
Owner Peel Group and Salford City Council
Executive suites 12 20-person hospitality boxes and 1 banqueting suite (up to 750)
Capacity 12,000
Record attendance 11,247 (Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers) 27 December 2014
Field size 122m x 86m
Surface Grass
Scoreboard Electronic
Construction
Built 2010–11
Opened 2012
Construction cost £26 million
Architect AFL Architects
Structural engineer SKM
Main contractors Buckingham Group
Tenants
Salford Red Devils (2012–)
Sale Sharks (2012–)
Manchester United FC Reserves (2013–14)
Website
www.ajbellstadium.co.uk

1 Stadium Way,

The Salford City Stadium (referred to as the AJ Bell Stadium for sponsorship purposes) is a rugby stadium in Barton-upon-Irwell, Greater Manchester, England. It was built to replace Salford rugby league club's ground The Willows for the 2012 season. Sale Sharks rugby union club have also played at the stadium since the 2012–13 season.

In 2005, Salford City Council approved plans for the Reds to move from the Willows to the brownfield site at Barton.

The stadium was originally to be developed by Red City Developments, with construction to be complete for the start of the 2009 season. However, RCD went into administration in July 2008.

Salford City Council formed a joint venture company with Peel Group to develop and deliver the £16 million stadium, which is part of the a £26 million development close to the Manchester Ship Canal and the M60 motorway.

Planning permission was granted in March 2010 for a 15,000-capacity stadium.

Sale Sharks confirmed their move to the stadium in April 2012, signing a 25-year lease.

In 2013, Peel Group and Salford City Council each lent £600,000 in emergency funding to the stadium. The council is still owed £20 million for building the stadium, and is already owed £1.5m by the Salford City Reds who play at the stadium.

In 2014, SCC and Peel lent a further £410,724 to the Stadium.

On 13 September 2013, it was announced that investment platform AJ Bell had secured a nine-year stadium naming rights partnership with Sale Sharks Rugby Club. The deal saw Salford City Stadium re-branded and renamed AJ Bell Stadium.

Initially, the stadium can accommodate a 12,000 crowd, but could be extended to hold up to 20,000 spectators. The stadium has areas designated for standing supporters. This partial-standing design is similar to the Halliwell Jones Stadium, home of Warrington Wolves.


...
Wikipedia

...