New track needed to retain top world events
THE 200-metre indoor athletics track at Arena Birmingham must be replaced at the cost of £1.2 million to make it “world class again”.
Birmingham City Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve a the project to replace the track, which was built in 1991 and is now showing its age.
A report says it will soon be impossible to host indoor international athletics competitions such as the annual Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix without replacing it.
The council report says: “This would fundamentally conflict with the long-term objectives of the city council to attract major sports events to the city.
“It would also mean we would not be able to stage the Indoor Grand Prix, one of the world’s best indoor athletics events.
“The rights for this event are held by UK Athletics and the city council will need to link future contractual agreements to host this event with the track procurement process.
“Not replacing the track would also rule us out of bidding for European and World Indoor Championships in the future.”
It adds “athletics as a sport has moved forward significantly over the past 15 years” and that the track needs to “reflect this change and be world class again.
It says: “It is essential that the track is replaced to ensure the sustainability of Birmingham as a venue for major indoor athletics events for another 10 to 15 years, meeting the latest international specification approved by the World Athletics.”
The new track could be operational from February 2022 in time for both the Indoor British Championships and Indoor Grand Prix.
Although Arena Birmingham will be used for gymnastics during the Commonwealth Games, track and field events at the games will be held at the city’s Alexander Stadium, which is being revamped ahead of the
2022 competition.