ZC to build new cricket stadium in Gweru

[secretzimbo]

https://zimcricket.org/news/2995/ZC,-Ci ... ew-stadium

[Googly]

It's bit like building big airports hoping to attract tourism

[eugene]

Anyone know what used to be on the land?

[Googly]

How do they gt a 99 year lease? Thought those were shelved.
One stadium being built signals the end,, two stadia is going to be be calamitous.

[sam_ahm]

Do they have so much money? Probably the ICC is providing funds for 2027 WC, obviously they will, still this is ambitious. Great if it comes off.

[Googly]

It's not coming off.
You're going to see looting on a grand scale and squandering of much needed cash that could be put to better use- like players salaries for example.
It's a disgrace.
Who plays cricket in Gweru anyway?
Players have to reluctantly trudge off to KweKwe. Now they're going to have to hitch hike an extra 80km

[secretzimbo]

I’m not sure where this land is exactly.

The city council have been trying for many years to evict Gweru Sports Club from their current historic ground in a prime location in order to build residential or commercial lots. It’s one of the few sports clubs out in the provinces that has held out in the face of such pressures.
The cricket ground has been brought back into use - by hand! - from an overgrown jungle into a serviceable, now well used grass square and outfield by volunteers over the past five years and cricket is played there every weekend. It’s not Lord’s, but it’s serviceable and it gets used and there are community coaches who run sessions there regularly. It’s pretty much the only league cricket ground in the Midlands.

It seems that this promise of a pot of gold by ZC and the council will ultimately finally force Gweru SC out and for it to be bulldozed.

As for the new ground - they mention multi sports , so it seems like a replacement for the wider sports club.

What I can’t fathom is why on fucking gods Earth would they want ‘VIP Boxes’ , ‘a Media Centre’ etc. what a gigantic waste of money. These will rot and be abandoned within months. By the articles own admission, the proposed ground will only be used as a ‘practice venue’ during the 2027 WC. International matches will never be played here!

If they really are going to invest in a new facility - and great if they really are - why can’t they just build a quality square and outfield and some change rooms and then spend the rest of the money on funding maintenance of it for the next X amount of years? Or funding coaches a s community cricket in the city. Bloody VIP centres and media boxes are a complete utter waste!

One thing is for sure is that Gweru City Council are so corrupt and have such a potted history that they make the likes of ZC look like angels.

I am extremely wary of this. Probably even more so than Vic Falls. Millions of dollars will go missing on this and you’ll suddenly see a few city officials driving around in new sports cars courtesy of ICC funds….

[Googly]

It seems that this promise of a pot of gold by ZC and the council will ultimately finally force Gweru SC out and for it to be bulldozed.

Without knowing a thing about this deal, there's your answer.
It's a theft. Bear in mind they've attempted to steal HSC quite a few times.

[Pat_Bee]

the proposed ground will only be used as a ‘practice venue’ during the 2027 WC.

That was the stand out line for me Tells you everything you need to know about this scheme.

[secretzimbo]

Vic Falls is going ahead and they’ve got Mnangagwa doing a ground breaking ceremony for it next week. Lord help us.


I think the only people who think it is a good idea are either; a) personally benefitting from it or b) have never been to Vic Falls.