Nestled on 22 acres of land beneath the rolling Beausejour hills inthe north of St Lucia, cricket’s newest international stadium istaking impressive shape
Tony Cozier06-Nov-2001Nestled on 22 acres of land beneath the rolling Beausejour hills inthe north of St Lucia, cricket’s newest international stadium istaking impressive shape.Tractors growl as they plough into the soil, Bobcats zig-zag aroundlike Z-vans with oversized wheels, cranes drop steel beams into placeand over 50 hard-hats bustle from one chore to the next.The turtle-backed outfield has already been graded, the square readiedand the stands are beginning to assume distinctive form.There is still a lot to be done. But Claude Guilleaume, theTrinidadian architect with the contractors, Carillon Construction, isconfident his company will have the finished product ready for handingover to the St Lucian government well before the two One-DayInternationals with India the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) hasscheduled for it in late May next year."We’re making very good progress and we’re looking at a completiondate sometime in March," he says.There needs to be a dress rehearsal prior to the internationals to putit all – the pitch, the outfield, the dressing rooms, the mediafacilities and all the rest – to the test. There is talk about hostinga match in the last round of the 2002 Busta International Series forthat purpose.All things being equal, Guilleaume has no qualms about meeting thedeadlines."There’s a little pressure, yes, but that’s okay," he says. "Atpresent, we’re actually a little ahead of schedule."As permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Human ResourceDevelopment, Youth and Sport, under whose portfolio the project falls,Ernest Hilaire is closely involved with all aspects of the scheme."It will comprise an international standard playing oval with all thesupporting areas for players, officials, spectators and the media," hecan boast."We’ve had close collaboration with officials of the West IndiesCricket Board (WICB) and taken their advice on key areas to ensurewe’ve got everything to their specification."Under Cover, a Trinidadian company specialising in such things, isresponsible for laying the square with soil and clay taken fromvarious parts of the island and for grassing the outfield.Estimated to cost EC$35 million (US$12.95 million) when finished, thestadium – yet to be officially named – is funded entirely by thegovernment-run St Lucia National Lotteries.It replaces Mindoo Philip Park, previously St Lucia’s solitary firstclass ground.Situated between two hills just outside of Castries, the capital, theold "Park", titled for one of St Lucia’s finest players, is in a highrainfall area. With poor drainage, it repeatedly turned regional andinternational touring team matches into frustrating misery.The micro-climate in the Beausejours area makes it one of the driestspots on the island, ideal for a game so heavily dependent on theweather.Located at the southern end of the new ground, the players’ pavilionhas been designed to have two team dressing rooms and ancillaryfacilities.There are also to be administrative offices, a central kitchen anddining hall and lounges for both members and cosseted VIPs who, evenif they have a limited knowledge of the game, will be guaranteedexcellent views of play from their third-tier seats.At the opposite end, Hilaire notes, the north grandstand will housethe media, print and broadcast, and 18 plush private boxes with roomfor up to 500.Underneath will be an entrance concourse that converts into lightedindoor nets outside of match days, catering facilities and publicconveniences.To the west, partially covered stands will accommodate 4 200individual seats. To the east, the grounds section is designed to takeup to 5 000 on the grassed banked embankment.And, most significantly, outdoor practice pitches, two natural turf,two artificial, are on the plans to the back of the players pavilionfor use even when play is going on.Hilaire points out that the complex, while principally for cricket,will also be available for other sports, such as football and rugby,and for seminars and training.At the same time as Guilleaume and his men are heading towards theirgoal, another sports stadium to hold 8 000 and serve football andtrack and field is also under going up near the island-nation’s secondtown of Vieux Fort, 40 miles to the south.It is being built and paid for by the Chinese government at a cost ofUS$15 million and its completion date is set for June 2002.The two projects mirror those of the Grenada government that completedtwo similar high-quality sports facilities four years ago and hassince staged One-Day Internationals against Australia, Pakistan andSouth Africa.The question from some quarters in both countries now, as then, isinevitable. How can such a high profile and high cost undertaking bevindicated in small nations with other more pressing needs?Grenada has already seen returns in the annual influx of fans for theinternational matches and the professional cricket, football and trackand field clubs attracted for out-of-season training and practice.St Lucia can readily identify the tie-in with its flourishing tourism.Its Atlantic Racing Challenge (ARC) in yachting and Jazz Festival havebecome internationally recognised annual events. They’re keen to addcricket to the list."The cricket stadium is located not far from the tourism hub of RodneyBay," Hilaire notes. "This is by no means accidental as we’verecognised the important strategic linkages that are growing betweensports and tourism."There is also the public pride that is hard to quantify and theincentive for local sportsmen provided with the advantage of worldclass resources.Although it has placed players on West Indies representative youth and"A" team, St Lucia has never produced a Test cricketer.Its most famous native sons have been Nobel Prize winners, economistSir Arthur Lewis and poet Derek Walcott. Rick Wayne gainedinternational recognition in body building back in the 1970s as MrUniverse.But there has been no cricket star. The hope is that the new stadiumwill help lure the youth to the game that runs a definite second inpopularity to football.And then there is the matter of the 2007 World Cup, to be staged forthe first time in the Caribbean, with its potential bonanza fortourism.The WICB has been charged with staging the events by the InternationalCricket Council (ICC), a relationship much like that between hostcities and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).The ICC, like the IOC, sets out strict guidelines on all aspects ofthe event and St Lucia, and Grenada, have stolen a march on the otherterritories.Established Test grounds like Kensington Oval, Sabina Park, Bourda andthe Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG) will need extensive upgrading ifthey are to meet ICC demands.At the moment, of the older venues, only the well-appointed Queen’sPark Oval in Trinidad has onsite practice facilities, either outdoorsor in, and adequate parking. St Lucia’s plans include both.In its recently released four-year development plan, the BarbadosCricket Association includes provision for construction of an entirelynew stadium at a cost of US$31.8 million.But there is opposition from those sentimentally attached toKensington and, in any case, a start is still to be made.There are hints of something in the pipeline in other territories butnothing more yet – and 2007 is not that far away.For St Lucia, it can’t come soon enough.