Victoria Falls Stadium
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 5:38 am
I'm guessing nothing has happened since last year. But let's just assume this is not a pie-in-the-sky idea and it's actually going to happen as a modest 4000 capacity boutique venue.
Pros
- Should attract tourism
- Three international venues could make Zimbabwe a chance to host events like the ICC World Twenty20 or an U19 WC
- The location could lend itself to becoming a desirable neutral venue (like Dubai)
- Cricket ovals are big enough to host rugby and soccer matches; so the venue could be used for more than cricket
- An infrastructure project like this creates jobs, maybe there'd be some government support for the project. Maybe the ICC would give financial support.
- Could help the development of cricket in Matabeleland North (this is a good story incidentally)
Cons
- Cost
- It could take a long time to recoup the initial outlay
- If ZC can't even get floodlights through customs how can they possibly build a new stadium
- Given ZC are reluctant to play tours in more than one city, is a third venue warranted and would it be underused or would Bulawayo suffer even more
- Could you fill a 4000+ capacity venue in Vic Falls?
As I've mentioned in other threads I think the first step to making this a success is to be predictable in fixturing. So holiday-goers know if they are in Vic Falls on this date, there will be a game of cricket on. Like the MCG and Boxing Day or the SCG and the New Year's Test. So if I was ZC, I'd lock in the next 10 years worth of Vic Falls fixtures against SA, India, Aus, Bangladesh, etc so that the Good Friday Test match or the Christmas Eve T20 or whatever date is chosen is set in concrete, people can plan around it and it becomes a tradition.
Pros
- Should attract tourism
- Three international venues could make Zimbabwe a chance to host events like the ICC World Twenty20 or an U19 WC
- The location could lend itself to becoming a desirable neutral venue (like Dubai)
- Cricket ovals are big enough to host rugby and soccer matches; so the venue could be used for more than cricket
- An infrastructure project like this creates jobs, maybe there'd be some government support for the project. Maybe the ICC would give financial support.
- Could help the development of cricket in Matabeleland North (this is a good story incidentally)
Cons
- Cost
- It could take a long time to recoup the initial outlay
- If ZC can't even get floodlights through customs how can they possibly build a new stadium
- Given ZC are reluctant to play tours in more than one city, is a third venue warranted and would it be underused or would Bulawayo suffer even more
- Could you fill a 4000+ capacity venue in Vic Falls?
As I've mentioned in other threads I think the first step to making this a success is to be predictable in fixturing. So holiday-goers know if they are in Vic Falls on this date, there will be a game of cricket on. Like the MCG and Boxing Day or the SCG and the New Year's Test. So if I was ZC, I'd lock in the next 10 years worth of Vic Falls fixtures against SA, India, Aus, Bangladesh, etc so that the Good Friday Test match or the Christmas Eve T20 or whatever date is chosen is set in concrete, people can plan around it and it becomes a tradition.