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The Don Valley Stadium is an Athletics Stadium in Sheffield , England . It was opened in 1990 , ready for the financially unsuccessful 1991 World Student Games but has since become a profitable centre for athletics in the area. It is named for the River Don , near which it lies. The stadium is situated on the Sheffield Supertram route, between Attercliffe and Meadowhall . It is home for the Sheffield Eagles Rugby League team and is also used for Channel 4 's celebrity sports show, The Games and for rock concerts, hosting acts such as The Rolling Stones and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers . History Completed in September 1990 at a cost of 29 Million the Don Valley Stadium was the first completely new national sporting venue built outdoors in Great Britain since Wembley in the early Twenties . It was built as the centre-piece of a 147 million construction programme needed to provide the necessary sports and cultural facilities to enable the city to host the 1991 World Student Games . The track is sunk five metres below ground level and is sheltered by banks of spectator seating, creating a 'bowl effect'. This not only gives ideal viewing conditions, but also offers Athletes every opportunity of producing peak performances. This record-breaking Philosophy has even had a bearing on the angle at which the track is set and its positioning is relative to the prevailing winds and the rise and fall of the sun. The finishing line has been positioned at the east end of the stadium which means that in the afternoon and evening when most meetings are held the sun will always be at the athletes backs in the finishing straight, as is the prevailing westerly wind. The whole of the running track and its infield is illuminated by the strongest floodlighting system in the country. Each of the five lighting towers used is 45 metres above track level and carries a lighting head as tall as a typical three storey house (11 metres high). All amenities for competitors and officials are at track level with all spectator facilities at natural ground level. This means, for example, that disabled spectators have level access from the main car park straight through to the mid level of spectator seating. VIP facilities are on a third level while the top-most of the four levels has been set aside for hospitality boxes and press areas. The Stadium's major focal point is its grandstand which holds 10,000 spectators. 15,000 spectators can also be accommodated on the open terracing making the seating capacity 25,000, although the stadium has a maximum capacity of 52,000. The Rolling Stones will hold a concert soon. |
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