Manila, Philippines, March 11, 2020: The New Clark City Athletics Stadium has been nominated for “Stadium of the Year" - a recognition previously given to the Olympic Stadium in London.
New Clark City, which is located in Capas, Tarlac province, 110km north of Manila, was the centerpiece of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2019 and incorporates a 20,000-capacity main athletics stadium, swimming complex and athletes’ village.
The main stadium hosted the athletics competition of the SEA Games and also the closing ceremony, and the government is planning to build a national sports school within New Clark City to produce a new generation of talented athletes in a wide range of sports.
Designed by the Budji+Royal Architecture+Design firm and built by MTD Clark, Inc., the main stadium is on a shortlist of 10 for the “Jury Award” in the annual Stadium of the Year awards.
The Athletics Stadium is the first sports facility in the Philippines with a track certified as Class 1 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), now known as World Athletics. It is part of the New Clark City Phase 1A development of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
“To be nominated as one of the top 10 stadiums proves that Filipinos can build a truly world-class facility,” said BCDA President and CEO Vince Dizon. “The sports facilities built in New Clark City are what our athletes deserve and we hope this recognition will further inspire them.”
The annual “Stadium of the Year” Awards is a non-commercial project launched 10 years ago to celebrate the best of stadium architecture.
The recognition was previously given to the Olympic Stadium in London, the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and the Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux, France.
Aside from the Jury vote, the Athletics Stadium may also win the “The Public Award.” The online voting for the said award is open until March 15, 2020 via http://stadiumdb.com/competitions/stadium_of_the_year_2019.
The New Clark City stadium joins nine other nominees selected by the Jury: the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar; Bankwest Stadium in Sydney, Australia; Datong Sports Center Stadium in China; Japan National Stadium in Tokyo; Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary; Stadion Tehelne Pole in Bratislava, Slovakia; Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London; VTB Arena in Moscow, Russia; and Wuhan Five Rings SC Stadium in China.
New Clark City is also home to the 2,000-seat Aquatics Centre certified by the International Swimming Federation (FINA). It will host the Asian Swimming Championships in early November 2020.
Source: BCDA