VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jun 29, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
After nearly 4 years, SmartDesign Group is excited about the recently announced 2010 opening of Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The 50,000 seat stadium is the new home of Ireland's national rugby and football teams and has been an important project for the design firm. In 2005, SmartDesign Group was selected to bring its hospitality design experience and provide management advisory services (MAS) to the project as catering consultants.
"The challenge with feeding a stadium full of people is more about logistics than design. It's about meeting the needs of different levels of spectators in short periods of time. It's about finding operational efficiencies that don't sacrifice quality. It's always an exciting challenge for us." Nick Baker, President, SmartDesign Group.
The Republic of Ireland will play its first game at the new stadium against Argentina on August 11, 2010. In any given year, the stadium will host around ten major international sporting events as well as concerts and events such as the UEFA Final which the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has already secured. It is expected the stadium will have a Pounds Sterling 250 million impact on the local economy each year.
The SmartDesign Group team provided concessions and premium hospitality master planning services while overseeing the project from concept design through to the selection of a Master Contract Caterer. The hospitality facilities, which are located throughout the grounds, are a reflection of the modern sports stadium experience and revenues generated will help fund the overall investment.
SmartDesign Group is a retail design practice that specializes in bridging the gap between commercial vision and design. Working alongside owners and operators, their ability to maximize opportunities and create efficiencies in the sports & entertainment, transportation, retail and hospitality industries has garnered recognition worldwide. Their projects include Aviva Stadium, Wembley City, Wembley Stadium and Brighton International Arena. To learn more about SmartDesign Group's design experience, visit www.smartdesigngroup.com.
