First StadiArena Opens In India, Converting Outdoor Stadium To Indoor Arena With Push Of Button

TransStadia, a stadium in Ahmedabad, India, is the first to to use StadiArena technology, which within six minutes can convert outdoor stadiums into indoor arenas with a press of a button.

It opened last month when it was used for the Kabaddi World Cup, an indoor event. TransStadia was built for football and can be converted for many other sports.

“It’s taken a long time but we are absolutely thrilled that the Ahmedabad stadium is now open and [has hosted] its first major sporting event,” StadiArena managing director Ian Stokes told Business Quarter. “At 47,000sq ft. it is the largest open space arena in India and will also become the best football stadium in India.”

Depending on the overall size of other stadiums, the technology from Meriden, U.K.-based StadiArena allows it to be “flexed” to seat an audience of 2,000 to 20,000.

StadiArena technology includes a StadiDoor that can transform an outdoor stadium into a fully enclosed arena. There is consideration for the requirements of the different sports that could be played in a stadium.

StadiArena’s versatility address issues of the construction of stadiums for events like World Cups or Olympics, as those stadiums are often not used again. Post-competition, the StadiArena can be use for a number of different sporting or non-sporting events and can turn a development into a sustainable enterprise.

“We anticipate developing a further 12 projects in India in the next five years, which has the potential both to change the way the world looks at India sport and also to change how the country’s sporting infrastructure can be developed…” Stokes said.

As for expanding the use of StadiArena technology, U.K. football clubs have shown interest, StadiArena founder and director Paul Fletcher told BusinessCloud. In addition, StadiArena is reportedly active in the U.S. and is expecting project approval on a major sports and leisure complex in 2017.