KC Stadium

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Kingston Communications Stadium
The Circle
Location	The Circle, Walton Street, Anlaby Road, Hull, England HU3 6HU
Broke ground	2001
Opened	2002
Owner	Hull City Council
Operator	Stadium Management Company
Surface	Grass interwoven with astro-turf
Construction cost	£44m GBP
Architect	The Miller Partnership
Tenants	Hull City A.F.C. (Premier League) (2003–present) Hull FC (Rugby League Super League) (2003–present)
Capacity	25,404 (Football and rugby league) [1]

The Kingston Communications Stadium, often shortened to KC Stadium or just the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull (Hull), England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s,^[2] it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately GB£44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider Kingston Communications. The stadium is owned by Hull City Council and operated by the Stadium Management Company (SMC).^[1]

The bowl-shaped stadium contains a continuous single tier of seats with a second tier on the west side.^[1] Its current capacity is 25,404.^[1] The stadium accommodates fans of its two tenants, association football club Hull City A.F.C., which moved there from Boothferry Park,^[3] and rugby league football club Hull FC, relocated from the Boulevard.^[4] The ground also hosts international association football and rugby league football competitions^[5][6][7] and acts as a venue for concerts by musical artists, such as Elton John^[8] and The Who.^[9]

Contents 1 History 2 Structure and facilities 3 Tenants 3.1 Hull City A. F. C. 3.2 Hull FC 4 Other sporting events 5 Concerts 6 Photo gallery 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

The idea of a new stadium for Kingston upon Hull was first mooted in 1997, but funds to finance such a project only became available when the city council sold a portion of its holdings in Kingston Communications.^[2] The council provided most of the funds, more than GB£42 million, with the rest stemming from government single regeneration budget grants and from the Football Stadium Improvement Fund.^[2]

The council appointed John Topliss to head the stadium construction project.^[2] He and his team partnered with consulting firm Drivers Jonas to explore preliminary issues such as stadium location, seating capacity, and facilities offered. Stated Mr. Topliss: "We had a totally blank canvas and, working with consultants, made a thorough assessment of what was needed."^[2]

The project team considered over a dozen sites, inside and outside of the city, before settling on The Circle in West Park.^[2] Factors contributing to the decision include transport guidance, central government planning guidelines, existing athletic facilities, isolation from residential areas, and council ownership.^[2]

The final recommendation of Drivers Jonas included additional facilities for both indoor and outdoor sports for the people of West Hull in addition to the main stadium, planned to seat from 25,000 to 30,000 spectators.^[2] Professional services firm Arup Associates provided initial concept proposals for the stadium.^[1] The Miller Partnership, an architectural and interior design firm, adopted these proposals during the stadium's design.^[1]

Outline planning permission for the project was granted in December 2000, with Birse Construction Limited named as the main contractor the following year.^[10]

In spite of a number of obstacles during the course of the project, including Hull City A.F.C.'s receivership in 2001 (just after the granting of planning permission),^[2] the stadium complex was completed on time (in fourteen months)^[1] and on budget (at approximately GB£44 million).^[1] The stadium opened its doors on December 18, 2002. Hull City beat Sunderland A.F.C. 1–0 in a friendly match to mark the occasion.^[11] Steve Melton scored the goal, the first at the KC Stadium.^[3]

[edit] Structure and facilities

Stand names and capacities

Stand	Location	Capacity
Smith & Nephew[12]	North	4,000[1]
Ideal Standard[12]	East	6,000[1]
MKM[12]	South	4,000[1]
deVries Honda[12]	Lower West	6,000[1]
	Upper West	5,000[1]

The all-seater stadium consists of a single-tier, asymmetrical bowl that can seat approximately 20,000,^[1] with a second tier on the deVries Honda West Stand that can seat approximately 5,000.^[1] Current capacity is 25,404.^[1] Plans provide for future expansion to a capacity of approximately 30,000 by the addition of a second tier on the Ideal Standard East Stand.^[1] Each stand has a name for corporate sponsorship purposes.^[12]

Corporate hospitality is provided by 28 executive boxes located between the two tiers of the deVries Honda West Stand,^[1] while security of the stadium is handled using 57 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that cover the stadium.^[1] Over the summer of 2007, SMC installed an LCD screen in the Smith & Nephew North Stand to replace the old electronic scoreboard.^[13] The screen has an area of approximately 40 m² (430 ft.²) and displays such content as live home game feeds, match highlights, interviews, and action replays.^[13]

The stadium's seats are mostly black, with a band of white and amber seats around the circumference.^[1] White and amber seats form the word Hull in the north and south stands. In the Ideal Standard East Stand, the seats form an image of a coronet,^[11] a symbol of the city that also appears in the club crest for Hull FC^[4] and in the coat of arms of the city council.^[14] Black, white, and amber were chosen in order to remain neutral toward the colours of its two tenants: black and white for Hull FC and black and amber for Hull City A.F.C.^[1] The blue and gold of owner Hull City Council appear in the stadium's four external columns.^[1]

The size of the playing surface is 114 x 74 metres (125 x 81 yd)^[1] and made of rye grass with a 3% additive of artificial grass.^[15] This provides ample room for a FIFA-regulation association football pitch of 105 x 68 metres (115 x 74 yd)^[1] and a standard rugby league football pitch of 100 x 68 metres (109 x 74 yd).^[1] The playing surface has an automated watering system and below-surface heating.^[1]

Set within Hull's West Park, the stadium is the first in England to be built in a parkland setting.^[15] The stadium complex also includes the 1,500 seat Gemtec Arena, a skate park, two multi-use all weather pitches, a community learning zone complete with classrooms, a health & fitness suite, a cyber cafe, and a library.^[1]

The KC Stadium has received several honours. It was named the chief new development in Yorkshire at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Pro-Yorkshire Awards ^[16] It was also on the shortlist for the Prime Minister's Award for Better Public Building^[16] and received a high commendation in the British Construction Industry Awards in the Best Value category.^[16] In a 2005 poll that was carried out by Drivers Jonas and decided by football fans from across the country, the KC Stadium was rated highest in comfort, services and view among all grounds in the Football League^[17] and was also rated the most-improved venue.^[17]

[edit] Tenants

Hull City A.F.C. average attendances

Season	League	Attendance
2007–08	Championship	18,024[18]
2006–07	Championship	18,583[19]
2005–06	Championship	19,841[20]
2004–05	League One	18,027[21]
2003–04	Division Three	16,846[22]

[edit] Hull City A. F. C.

The stadium replaced Boothferry Park as home to Hull City A.F.C., and was the backdrop for the club's recent climb through the English Football League.^[3] It first hosted the club's home games during the second half of the 2002–03 season; the first competitive match was against Hartlepool United, a game that Hull City won by a score of 2–0.^[23] Hull City, nicknamed the Tigers, attracted an average attendance of almost 17,000 in their first season at the KC Stadium.^[24] This figure is more than three times the average Division Three attendance for that season, and was only matched or exceeded by clubs in the Premiership and the First Division.^[25] However, the level of support was not matched by on-field performances; the Tigers finished thirteenth in their first season at the KC Stadium.^[26]

However, in 2003–04 (their first full season at the new ground), the Tigers won promotion as Division Three runners-up, securing their place in the newly-named Football League One (previously Division Two).^[3] A second successive promotion to the Football League Championship, again as runners-up, followed in 2004–05.^[3]

Attendances for Hull City's league games at the KC Stadium have averaged above 16,000 in each full season they have played there, peaking just short of 20,000 in their first season in the Championship.^[19] The record attendance, for a league match, was 24,350 on 26 April 2008 for the visit of Crystal Palace^[18] narrowly beating the previous record of 24,311 on 30 January 2007 for the visit of local rivals Leeds United.^[19]

The stadium will host Premier League football in 2008–09, with the 20,500 available season tickets selling out shortly after Hull City's Championship play-off victory at Wembley.^[27]

Hull FC average attendances

Season	Attendance
2007	14,606[28]
2006	10,866[28]
2005	10,604[28]
2004	11,458[28]
2003	11,598[28]

[edit] Hull FC

Hull FC play their home games at the stadium, having relocated from the Boulevard.^[4] During their time at the KC Stadium, they have consistently ended each season on a high note: in 2003, the team just missed play-off qualification; in 2004, the club finished third.^[4] They finished fourth in 2005, and enjoyed even greater success in the Challenge Cup, in which they beat the Leeds Rhinos in the final.^[4] Hull FC reached the Super League Grand Final in 2006.^[29] Attendances average around 11,000,^[30] but are often more than double that figure when the club hosts local rivals Hull Kingston Rovers,^[31] this local derby producing a record crowd of 23,004 for the 2 September 2007 fixture.^[31]

[edit] Other sporting events

The stadium has hosted several England Under-21s association football games; in fact, a crowd of 25,280 attended one under-21 match between England and the Netherlands in early 2004.^[5] The KC Stadium is now also a regular venue for international rugby league games, and has hosted Great Britain matches in both the Tri-Nations^[6] and the Ashes^[7] competitions. The stadium hosted the 2004 Tri-nations match in which New Zealand lost by a score of 26–24.^[6] The stadium also hosted the Tri-Nations game between Great Britain and Australia in 2005; the final score was 26–14 to Australia.^[32] It is rumoured that World Wrestling Entertainment will be bringing their flagship Raw program to the stadium in 2009.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Concerts

As well as serving as a sporting venue, the KC Stadium also hosts musical events, including such artists as Sir Elton John,^[8] Bryan Adams,^[8] R.E.M.^[8] and The Who.^[9] However, while performances by such artists as Elton John and Neil Diamond have sold out, other acts, such as R.E.M. and Bon Jovi, have failed to play to capacity crowds.^[33] As a result, stadium management is considering an end to the KC Stadium as a concert venue.^[33]

[edit] Photo gallery

MKM South Stand

deVries Honda West Stand

Smith & Nephew North Stand

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kingston Communications Stadium (kcstadium.co.uk)
• Kingston Communications Stadium (kcstadium.com)
• KC Stadium at Worldstadia.com

Hull City Association Football Club v • d • e
Club: Hull City A.F.C. | Players | Managers | History | Seasons | Records | Kits Grounds: The Boulevard | Anlaby Road | Boothferry Park | KC Stadium Other teams: Hull City Women A.F.C. | Hull City A.F.C. Reserves and Academy
Premier League venues, 2008–2009 v • d • e
Anfield • Boleyn Ground • Britannia Stadium • City of Manchester Stadium • Craven Cottage Emirates Stadium • Ewood Park • Fratton Park • Goodison Park • The Hawthorns • JJB Stadium KC Stadium • Old Trafford • Reebok Stadium • Riverside Stadium • St James' Park Stadium of Light • Stamford Bridge • Villa Park • White Hart Lane

v • d • e Super League venues 2008 Belle Vue • New Craven Park • Galpharm Stadium • Grattan Stadium • Headingley Carnegie • Halliwell Jones Stadium • JJB Stadium • KC Stadium • Millennium Stadium • Stade Gilbert Brutus • The GPW Recruitment Stadium  • The Jungle • Twickenham Stoop Stadium

Coordinates: 53°44′46.34″N, 0°22′3.43″W