Rose Bowl set for revamp

The 150-acre Rose Bowl site is set for a £40million revamp

The Rose Bowl is set to be transformed into what Hampshire hope will be one of the best international cricket and leisure venues in the world by 2010.

Rose Bowl plc has announced dates for a major public exhibition to present details of its £40million plans to transform 150 acres of the site.

The exhibition opens to the public at the Rose Bowl on the following dates:

Thursday October 11, 4-7pm
Friday October 12, 4–7pm
Saturday October 13, 10am–3pm

The proposed new development will consist of a 175-bedroom, four-star resort hotel built overlooking the playing area. The hotel will contain luxury spa and leisure facilities as well as major conferencing facilities.

As part of the development, the existing nine-hole golf course will be developed into an 18-hole championship course.

The design of the new facilities will make the Rose Bowl the first model Test match ground in the UK and will further build on the opportunities to hold Tests at the Rose Bowl.

With the addition of two new stands alongside the landmark pavilion at the southern end of the ground, capacity will increase from 20,000 to 25,000, making it one of the largest grounds in the country.

The number of permanent seats will increase to 15,000, including 6,000 seats under cover. Improved spectator facilities will be integral to both the hotel development and new stands providing the highest quality, permanent catering, toilet and merchandising units.

Purpose built facilities for disabled spectators and their carers will be incorporated in to the new stands development.

For the media, state-of-the-art facilities will be built in to the hotel complex offering a range of suites built to the highest specification for the international cricketing media.

Following significant improvements over the last two years, including a new emergency services route and a dedicated pedestrian exit, visitors have experienced a greatly improved access to and egress from the Rose Bowl.

The new development proposal includes a further vehicular route that has the potential to further reduce the traffic impact on the local community.

Glenn Delve, managing director of Rose Bowl plc, will be available to discuss the plans during the public exhibition.

He said: “A team of experts have been working on the design for the last 12 months and we are now excited to be able to share more of our plans to develop the Rose Bowl into a venue of regional and national significance, that will make a substantial contribution to the local economy.”