Stadium:mk
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| stadium:mk | |
|---|---|
| Denbigh Stadium | |
 View towards the East Stand as of 16 May 2007 |
|
| Full name | stadium:mk |
| Location | Denbigh, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | |
| Broke ground | 17 February 2005 |
| Built | 2007 |
| Opened | 29 November 2007 (first game 18 July 2007) |
| Owner | Inter MK |
| Surface | Desso GrassMaster |
| Architect | HOK SVE |
| Main contractors | Buckingham Group Contracting |
| Tenants | Milton Keynes Dons F.C., Marshall MK Lions |
| Capacity | 32,000 all seated (proposed), 22,000 initially |
| Field dimensions | 105 m x 68m |
Stadium:mk (also known locally as "Denbigh Stadium"[1][2]) is a multi-use stadium in the Denbigh district of Milton Keynes, England. Designed by HOK SVE,[3] it has completed phase one construction by civil engineering company Buckingham Group Contracting. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Milton Keynes Dons F.C..
The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.[4]
The initial configuration of the stadium uses only the lower tier to hold 22,000, but using the upper tier there is provision to increase the capacity to 32,000 "12 to 18 months" later.[5] When complete the design will comply with UEFA's Elite Stadium specifications and includes a Desso GrassMaster playing surface.
The complex includes the Arena:MK, an indoor arena that will be the home of the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions professional basketball team from 2008.
The stadium was first proposed in May 2002, when Wimbledon FC were given permission to relocate to Milton Keynes from their original home some 60 miles away in South London. It was originally hoped[who?] that the new stadium would be ready for the 2004-05 season, but it was to be another three years after this date before the stadium was opened. In the meantime, Wimbledon had played at the National Hockey Stadium and had since changed their name to Milton Keynes Dons.
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[edit] Early events
Although Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the stadium in November 2007, it hosted its first game on 18 July 2007, a match against a Chelsea XI, which resulted in a 4-3 win for the home side. Later in July an England Legends XI took on a World Legends XI in a match in memory of the late England footballer Alan Ball. In November 2007 the stadium hosted its first FIFA sanctioned international football match when the England Under 21 team hosted their Bulgarian counterparts in a UEFA Euro 2009 qualifier. The stadium was used as a centrepoint for the 40th birthday celebrations of Milton Keynes which took place during 2007.
[edit] Location
The ground (map) is in Denbigh in south Milton Keynes, next to the A421 spur junction with the A5 and not far from Bletchley railway station. The postcode is MK1 1ST, but it is a new allocation that few if any mapping systems recognise yet. The nearest alternative is MK1 1BS.
[edit] Cowshed
The South stand of stadium:mk is known as the Cowshed by Dons fans, as Milton Keynes is well known for its concrete cows.
[edit] Gallery
 The view of the pitch towards the South Stand |
 The South (Cowshed) stand of Denbigh Stadium as of 16 May 2007 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Minutes of Milton Keynes Council See item 5a.
- ^ Youtube animation of the build
- ^ Sports Venue Technology - Wimbledon FC Relocation to Milton Keynes
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2007/11/30/queen_mk_2007_feature.shtml The Queen visits Milton Keynes
- ^ Milton Keynes stadium is on track
[edit] External links
- Stadium official website (Under construction).
- www.buckinghamgroup.net. Website of Buckingham Group Contracting.
- Aerial shot of the site in 1999
- Aerial shot of the site in 2005
- (The dual carriageway across the north of the pictures is the A5 and its junction with the A421 is shown. Watling Street (former A5) runs diagonally across the picture from lower right and the West Coast Main Line railway runs up the left hand side. Bletchley railway station is just out of shot to the lower left (SW).
