Singapore Sports Hub unveils multi-functional pitch at new national stadium

The Desso GrassMaster pitch that will play host to football, rugby, cricket and athletics at Singapore’s new National Stadium has been unveiled.

As the focal point for the 55,000-seat Stadium at the heart of the new Singapore Sports Hub, the pitch is a blend of two types of grass seeds – Rye and Blue Grass. The 100%-natural grass is injected with artificial fibres 18 centimetres deep, every two centimetres across the pitch. This results in the natural grass roots growing around some 114 million protective filaments (20 million fibres), thus anchoring the field.

This unique system, also used in London’s famous Wembley Stadium and many other world-class venues, offers stability and reinforcement, ensuring a uniform, reliable and visually attractive surface in perfect condition at all times.

Since the installation of the Desso GrassMaster pitch in 2010 at Wembley Stadium, more than 150 football, rugby and NFL matches along with six months of concerts have taken place at the stadium.

Introducing the state-of-the-art pitch, Desso Chief Executive Alexander Collot d’Escury stated “supplying the pitch for the Singapore Sports Hub is obviously a prestigious project for our company and hopefully an inspiration for other multi-functional stadiums. With the Desso GrassMaster system, we enable stadiums to combine sports and events in the same location, without compromising on the grass pitch. The project is an excellent example of Desso’s continued growth strategy for both our carpet and sports business in Asia.”

Desso’s growth in Asia is supported by its local partner, Australian-based HG Sports Turf Pty Ltd. 

Advising that the new surface will help fulfil the new Stadium’s role as a multi-functional venue for sports and entertainment venue, sportsHub Pte Ltd Chief Executive Philippe Collin Delavaud added “the pitch forms an integral part of the National Stadium and the Desso GrassMaster system truly does justice to what will be one of the most innovative sports stadiums in the world. We look forward to welcoming spectators to our exciting line-up of sports and entertainment events, as well as everyday visitors and members of the community to play on this world-class pitch.”

The first test event to be held at the National Stadium will be the Rugby World Club 10s on 21st and 22nd June 2014. A physical and demanding game, the rugby event will provide a good first test for the pitch.

Looking forward to the test, Singapore Rugby Union President Low Teo Ping is glad to see the pitch coming to reality, explaining “I have been following the progress of the pitch to date, and it’s certainly looking very good. The Desso surface promises a high standard of play for rugby as well as other sports, and I am waiting to see that being tested come 21st and 22nd June competitively at the World Club 10s, which will be the first real test event for the stadium and the pitch.”

In August the National Stadium will transform itself into football mode ahead of Singapore vs Malaysia on 8th August, followed by the Singapore vs Juventus game the following week.

In addition to football and rugby, the National Stadium will also host cricket.

The new technology of Desso hybrid grass is well suited for a multi-sport facility providing competent multi-purpose playing surfaces for various sports being planned at the Sports Hub. This technology provides an ideal surface for cricket without taking away any traditional aspects of the game and is slowly becoming a preferred choice for cricketing facilities around the world.

Two new portable cricket wickets have been designed and supplied by HG Sports Turf, with Mark Perham working with HG Sports Turf to ensure the new portable cricket wickets are prepared to meet international cricket standards, and are suitable for all forms of the game. 

With more than 30 years of international experience in sports surfaces, Desso Sports Systems is an international specialist in innovative sports fields for football, rugby and hockey as well as tennis courts and multifunctional fields.

For more information, please visit the Desso Sports System website: www.dessosports.com.

HG Sports Turf Pty is involved in the design and construction sports fields and supplies natural turf, synthetic turf and hybrid turf for the sports field market. International partnerships ensure HG Sports Turf at the forefront of product research and development with the Melbourne-based business having supplied its turf systems to high profile events including the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games (ANZ?Olympic Stadium), the 2003 and 2011 Rugby World Cups, the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games (MCG) and the 2006 Doha Asian Games (Qatar).

Currently, HG Sports Turf is supplying its turf systems to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

The Singapore Sports Hub will be Singapore's premier sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub with integrated community programming.

Consisting of a unique cluster development of integrated world-class sports facilities within the city, it will play a critical role in accelerating the development of sports industry, excellence and participation, and will take sports to the next level in Singapore.

Located on a 35-hectare site in Kallang, the Singapore Sports Hub will include the following facilities:

• A new 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof and movable tiered seating

• A 6,000-capacity OCBC Aquatic Centre that meets FINA standards

• A 3,000-capacity OCBC Arena which will be scalable and flexible in layout

• Water Sports Centre featuring dragon boating, kayaking and canoeing

• 41,000 metre2 Kallang Wave Mall

• The landmark Singapore Indoor Stadium

• Singapore Sports Museum

• Sports Hub Library

• Daily community facilities and activities open for Singaporeans, including beach volleyball, hard courts for basketball, lawn bowls, giant chess, skate park, climbing wall and running/cycling circuit

The Singapore Sports Hub, which is managed by SportsHub Pte Ltd, is one of the largest sporting Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project in the world. It is also Singapore's largest flagship PPP project of this nature, and has won the PFI award in London in 2011 and the World Architecture Festival Award for Best Future Project in the leisure-led development category in 2013.

For more information, please visit the Singapore Sports Hub website at www.sportshub.com.sg

In Australia, Desso Sports Systems is distributed by HG Sports Turf, email: info@hgsportsturf.com.au

5th March 2014 - SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB SET FOR JUNE COMPLETION

2nd June 2010 - HG SPORTS TURF TAKE ON DESSO SPORTS SYSTEMS