Populous previews New York cricket stadium for T20 World Cup

Populous has unveiled its designs for a 34,000-seat temporary cricket stadium that will host eight matches for this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Long Island, New York state.

Construction of the modular venue is due to begin next month in Nassau County’s Eisenhower Park, for use in June.

It will feature general admission seats that have been repurposed from grandstands used for last year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas.

Populous said the venue would have more than 7,400sq m of hospitality space, including a party deck, fan suites, cabanas and VIP clubs. There will also be food and beverage outlets and “strategically placed” media and broadcast areas.

A pitch for the stadium that has been “designed and curated” by Australia-based Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions is being grown in Florida and will be transported to Long Island in early May.

The stadium’s outfield is being cultivated by LandTek Group, which is responsible for the fields of baseball teams the New York Yankees and New York Mets, as well as the stadium and training fields of football team Inter Miami, which is part owned by David Beckham.

Populous senior principal Jeff Keas said the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium would give spectators a world-class experience.

“Cricket is a truly global sport with a passionate, knowledgeable fanbase and we’re thrilled to partner with the ICC and help bring the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup to the United States,” he said.

“The modular, sustainable stadium we’ve designed will create a fantastic experience for both US and international cricket fans and visitors to enjoy watching the world’s best teams and players.”

T20 World Cup organiser the International Cricket Council originally sought to locate a temporary stadium in the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park – a focus for cricket in New York City. But those proposals drew opposition because they would have put existing cricket pitches out of use for months.

The bulk of this year’s T20 World Cup matches will be played in the Caribbean, with 41 fixtures across Barbados, Guyana, Antigua, St Vincent, St Lucia and Trinidad. However in addition to the eight matches scheduled for Long Island a further four games each will be held in Dallas and Florida.