The RDS’ Post

Transformative investment programme to elevate the Main Arena at The RDS gets underway A transformative €52 million investment programme to elevate the Main Arena at the RDS is now underway at the 43-acre campus in Dublin, Ireland, including the construction of the new Anglesea Stand. The works include the demolition of the existing Anglesea Stand and Terrace, as well as the regeneration of the Grandstand, the location for new dressing rooms and player’s tunnel. With a vision to create memorable experiences for live entertainment and sporting communities, the project signals transformation at the RDS. Underpinned by wellbeing, inclusivity, sustainability and excellence, the project includes a new 6,775 capacity Anglesea Stand which delivers a significant upgrade for the overall RDS visitor. Works commenced in September 2024 and the 20,600-seat arena will be completed by August 2026. The grand opening is planned for Summer 2026 at the RDS Dublin Horse Show however during construction, a three-sided arena will operate facilitating the 2025 Dublin Horse Show and over the coming weeks, the RDS will work with United Rugby Championship (URC) side, Leinster Rugby, on finalising the timing of their return to the Arena. RDS Chief Executive, Liam Kavanagh said: "As the home of the Dublin Horse Show and Leinster Rugby, this is an exciting time for The RDS. The team and I are ambitious for the RDS main arena to continue to create a unique experience while also delivering for the rapidly evolving needs of Irish society. "The regeneration of the arena is the beginning of a new journey for the RDS as it embarks on this first phase of a wider Campus development programme. "We would like to acknowledge Government support for the project through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). As the construction project is underway our focus now is to create a world-class venue for all visitors, customers, and partner organisations. This will be a significant addition to the RDS and to the city of Dublin." For the full story, go to: https://lnkd.in/eV-v5X8G Exciting times ahead Greg Power Sorcha Brady and co. Can't wait to hear more at the SVB LIVE Networking Event being held in Dublin on January 23rd, 2025! #Dublin #LeinsterRugby #TheRDS #sportsbiz #sportsindustry #stadia #SportsVenueBusiness #SVBLIVE Sports Venue Business Grimshaw Cassandra Calleja John Sheehan The Sports Networker David Hall

#NationalLottery30 | National Lottery players' contribution to Scotland's sport facilities tops £130m. 857 facility projects have received National Lottery funding since 1994, investment that's had a seismic impact on Scotland's sporting infrastructure, providing jobs in the sector and allowing hundreds of thousands of Scots to take part in sport. Find out more: https://bit.ly/3CySl7P Leisure and Culture Dundee, Edinburgh Leisure, Glasgow Life

The greatest in the game descend upon Pinehurst No. 2 this week at the #USOpen. Pinehurst is a small town with very little infrastructure to support an event like this that is expected to draw in about 65,000 people. As a result, the United States Golf Association (USGA) is partnering with Amtrak to offer attendees a train ride for Raleigh directly to the course. All aboard the "Open Express"! Fan travel, which is considered to be a scope 3 GHG emissions source, meaning the tournament doesn’t directly produce it, is often the single largest source of GHG emissions for golf tournaments. We love to see the USGA implementing innovative partnerships like this one with Amtrak to help decrease the impact on the local community and reduce GHG emissions! More tournaments should prioritize decreasing fan travel emissions and look to public transportation providers to support these efforts. #golf #sustainability #sustainabledevelopment #sustainablegolf #masstransportation #sustainabletransportation #energyefficiency

Craigie Hill Golf Club in Scotland has submitted a planning application to reduce its holes from 18 to nine, build a new ‘Sports and Community Hub’ and create a residential development https://lnkd.in/ewBJQKq7

🔔 European Aquatics signs groundbreaking deal with Wood Nest Sports Group (WNS) to become the official sponsor of the #waterpolo club competition system. European Aquatics First Vice President Josip Varvodic, who drove the efforts to secure the sponsorship agreement said: “We are extremely grateful to Mr. Anil Kumar, CEO of Wood Nest Sports, for recognizing the ongoing growth and success of our club competitions." Full story ▶️ https://lnkd.in/djwvq3KH #EuropeanAquatics

Wow - I love the visual concept of this stadium and finally something that is within reach of Auckland's existing (albeit inadequate) transport infrastructure. Being from Melbourne, I know first hand the impact good sporting venues can have on a city... culturally, economically and socially. The construction of Melbourne Park in the late 80's and then revitalisation of the Albert Park GP circuit in the early 90's really put Melbourne on the map internationally and it's economy and population have grown exponentially since. Living and working in Auckland, I would love to see that growth and development happen here too.  However, I have to ask: when oh when are Kiwis going to stop being so short sighted with their endless rectangular stadium proposals and actually think beyond Rugby? Rectangular stadiums are limited to the sports they can host. Auckland already has a plethora of under utilised rectangular stadiums and I genuinely feel it is time we collectively looked beyond just rugby and design a stadium that is suitable to host all range of sports including cricket, soccer, baseball, AFL, and so on. T20 cricket is hugely popular and with the large Indian and Pakistani population in Auckland has the potential to be even bigger given a suitable venue with increased capacity. Whilst Eden Park manages to host currently, it's squared-out boundary is not in keeping with other international venues. The North Shore Stadium had modifcations to try and fit baseball and was briefly home to the Auckland Tuatara team, but the stadium was not designed to cater for baseball and viewing was not ideal. AFL is also a rapidly growing sport in NZ despite having it's roots in NZ back as far as the 1860's. But rectangular stadiums do not work for AFL, and with average home and away crowds in Aussie of more than 38,000 Auckland could greatly benefit from a stadium capable of holding at least some exhibition games if not the regular league that is already running here. So whilst this proposal looks sensational and is situated close to the CBD and transport, I implore all designers and architects to consider the possibilities of other sports when thrashing out these concepts and produce a multi-purpose stadium suitable to hold just about anything - and ideally with an operable roof to shield from Auckland's abundance of precipitation. It may just be enough to really put Auckland on the map and drive both tourism and the flailing economy.

Euro 2024 Spotlighting Stevenage Our UEFA Euro 2024 town twinning spotlight continues as Austria takes on France tonight where Stevenage twins with the French town of Autun. #Stevenage is experiencing transformational change. A £1bn regeneration programme is delivering a mixed-use town centre reflecting the aspirations of residents and businesses - recognising its new town heritage. Stevenage has secured circa £70m of public funding through partnership working and this has been leveraged to secure over £600m of private sector investment, including growing the world leading life sciences cluster located in the town. As the country’s first New Town, innovation is part of the fabric of Stevenage. From producing one quarter of the world’s satellites, to developing life-saving new scientific treatments; pushing boundaries and changing lives is what the town has always done. Transforming the town centre is a key priority and ambitious plans are already well under way with tangible delivery on the ground. Thriving businesses and high-quality homes with culture, heritage, improved transport facilities, retail space, job opportunities and experience will continue to be at the heart of Stevenage. Share the love: Whoever you’re cheering for, share your favourite Hertfordshire hotspots in the comments.

As I stated in a previous post where Greg Norman won £70,000 for his victory at Trump Turnberry in The Open 1986 - The winners checks should return to a normal level so the The R&A can spend more globally promoting the game as they are charged to do - same goes for the United States Golf Association (USGA) & PGAs. It is not any way in their remit to pay pros generational wealth in a single check. I keep hearing the from the pros themselves that they are playing for legacy and trophies not money - The for profits (PGA TOUR, DP World Tour, Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA)) & others that self-fund (LIV Golf, Masters) may increase the purses as much as they like and sponsors will support - but the organizations that grow the game from grass roots support so that the leaderboards are full of flags from around the world should have the support of the professionals to cap the purses - The prestige of the Major shouldn't be contingent of the amount of the winners check. As Martin Slumbers bravely brought attention to the fact the escalation of purses on Golf's most important organizations is unsustainable. In addition, a reduction in the overall men's purse would, like tennis, hopefully allow equal men's and women's payouts in the majors hosted by those organizations as they support both. The Open is the greatest legacy major and doesn't need the largest purse to prove it. #growthegame Augusta National Golf Club #TheMasters PGA of America The PGA The Golf Business

Golf has always been more than a game—it’s a place of community, tradition, and timeless enjoyment. But today, our clubs are facing serious challenges. With rising operational costs, insurance increases, and a cost-of-living crisis affecting spending habits, over 400 clubs across Great Britain are now at risk of closure. For clubs to survive these pressures, we need a fresh, data-driven approach to resilience. At Custodian Golf, we offer strategies designed to stabilise clubs financially, future-proofing them for the next generation of golfers. Our aim? To keep clubs open, active, and vibrant as community spaces, no matter the economic climate. Connect with us to explore solutions that will support the game we love, even in challenging times. #CustodianGolf #GolfEconomics #GolfCommunity #SustainableSolutions Golf Club Managers Association Club Management Association of Europe (CMAE) The PGA The R&A UK Golf Federation

𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟒𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐒 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭. As a real estate developer, Trump began acquiring and building golf courses in 1999. Currently, he owns 18 golf courses worldwide, including two in Scotland. Living near a golf course isn’t just about the view- it’s about value. Properties located in postal districts with a golf course carry a 13% premium compared to those without. The UK has over 2,500 golf courses, which is about 8% of the world’s golf courses. Source: Dataloft by PriceHubble, Land Registry, premium for all properties with a golf course in their postcode district in 2024, all UK regions except London, IBISWorld #Southampton #belvoirsouthampton