[Kev Bee]

Bon Jovi were the FIRST band to play the new Wembley stadium, seeing as they were the last to play the old one it would be pretty monumental to have them open the new wembley concerts era in style!!!!!!!

[Mike]

Originally Posted by bon geordie

Bon Jovi were the FIRST band to play the new Wembley stadium, seeing as they were the last to play the old one it would be pretty monumental to have them open the new wembley concerts era in style!!!!!!!

Yes!!

[Neurotica80]

That would be very cool yes. And they could open with "The Boys are Back in Town".

[Becky]

That's the plan, isn't it?

Becky

[Dawn]

Nice thought, when is Wembley ment to open again?

Dawn

[Thomas Anderson]

Has construction even started yet? I though they where still looking at designs, or did they pick that stupid one with the pointless mechanical arch?

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Thomas Anderson

Has construction even started yet? I though they where still looking at designs, or did they pick that stupid one with the pointless mechanical arch?

Its been 1 big mess! - BJ closed it 3 years ago....

BJ will probably have retired by the time its ready....

[Mike]

The Construction Process

A building site and project the same size of the new Wembley Stadium will have many different tasks taking place at the same time. Below is a proposed timetable and guide for the key construction activity.

If you have any comments on the Wembley construction site, please call the Construction Hotline - 020 8903 9798.

September 2002 to March 2003

The old stadium will be slowly demolished and the site flattened with the aid of specially-built mechanical shears. This vehicle is an excavator with giant scissors/jaws on the end of the arm and the largest machine of its kind in the world. It has been specially built for the Wembley demolition job. It has a reach of thirty-five metres, allowing it to take the stadium roof to pieces from a safe distance. Actual demolition will begin at each end of the stadium sweeping round to the north and then demolishing the southern stand.

October 2002- late 2003

Piling will begin as soon as sufficient space is cleared by demolition. The piles, which form the foundations for the concrete raft upon which the new stadium will sit, go down as far as 35 metres, as deep as the Twin Towers were tall. At the same time earth works will reduce the height of the site. The new pitch is 4 metres below the level of the old.

Late 2003 - late 2004

With much of the substructure in place, work will begin on the steel frame that forms the skeleton of the new stadium. As work progresses, the new terracing will be put into place. This will be prefabricated in 10 metre lengths that will be brought to the site. Work on the south side will be restricted until the raising of the 133 metres by 315 metre arch makes room for work to get fully underway.

Mid 2003 to second quarter 2004

The arch will be assembled on the southern side of the site and rotated into place. The arch is made out of steel and weighs 1,650 tonnes. When in place it will support the 7,000 tonne retractable roof without the need for columns inside the stadium.

Mid 2004

The arch is rotated into place with a series of cranes and pulleys and held in place with temporary cables. Initially it will be raised to the vertical, enabling work to be completed on the southern side of the new stadium and the roof structure to be put in place.

Late 2004 to early 2005

With the roof structure completed, the arch is permanently fixed at an angle of 68 degrees from horizontal and takes up the weight of the roof. The arch now supports all of the weight of the northern side of the roof and 60 per cent of the weight to the south.

Mid 2004

The fit out of the stadium gets substantially underway with materials for changing rooms, toilets and restuarants all arriving on site. This is the point when the site will be busiest with up to 1,500 people working at the stadium at the same time.

Mid 2005

The most obvious sign of fit-out will be the arrival of seats for the first time. It should be at ths stage that the site really begins to take shape as a stadium. It will appear to be close to completion although a considerable amount of the fit out will still be taking place internally. The complex web of heating and drainage pipes will also be laid under the pitch culminating with the laying of grass late 2005.

Early 2006

The stadium opens. Opening will be in three stages with smaller events to test all the safety equipment and to check emergency procedures are working properly. A second event will open the second tier and a big, high profile event, hopefully an England International, will see the stadium fully-functioning and in all its glory.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Mike

A second event will open the second tier and a big, high profile event, hopefully an England International, will see the stadium fully-functioning and in all its glory.

Or hopefully... a Bon Jovi concert

:P

[Jag]

stadium should have been built by now