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Spurs score the world's first sliding pitch

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The rivalry between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal is one almost as old as the game of football itself, so when The Gunners moved from their home ground of Highbury to the high-tech Emirates Stadium back in 2006, Spurs fans were left feeling more than a little jealous. That jealousy isn't set to last much longer though, as Tottenham will move out of White Hart Lane in 2018, to a stadium that is being touted as one of the biggest and best in the world. The design is being handled by Populous, formerly known as HOK Sport Venue Event, who also designed the rival Emirates ground, as well as the Fabergé egg-inspired stadium for the Sochi Winter Olympics last year, and numerous other Premier League and Super Bowl grounds.

Tottenham Hotspur will move out of White Hart Lane in 2018 to a stadium that is being touted as one of the biggest and best in the world

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This week, the London-based firm revealed designs for the as yet unnamed new Spurs stadium, and they look pretty damn impressive to me! The elliptical stadium will be a real spectacle when it launches, with glistening panels of perforated metal and glass wrapping themselves the structure, leaving a hole in the centre of the pitch open to the elements. The designs also reveal a single-tier stand at one end of the pitch, which will provide a bank of 17,000 uninterrupted seats, and is set to become the largest of its kind in the UK on completion. The stadium will have capacity for 61,000 spectators (an increase from the 36,000 seats at White Hart Lane) in an all-encompassing design that stands in stark contrast to more pragmatic recent redevelopment of Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge grounds by Herzog & de Meuron.

The design is being handled by Populous, formerly known as HOK Sport Venue Event

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The main feature of the stadium, however (and one which will no doubt prove to be controversial for die-hard Tottenham fans), is the pitch itself. The fully retractable “Sliding” pitch rolls back to reveal a second playing surface, to accommodate the two American football games the club will host each season. Whilst fans might balk at the idea of sharing their ground with the Yanks, the extra money it will bring into the stadium, and the club, is something that they should really consider before the knives come out en force. But that's just my opinion (don't hurt me). Populous claims that the sliding pitch will be the world's first, but there are other stadiums that include slide-out playing surfaces, such as the Sapporo Dome in Japan, the University of Phoenix Stadium in the USA, the Gelredome in the Netherlands and the Veltins-Arena in Germany. This will definitely be the first one in the UK though!

The ambitious new complex will also house a cinema, a 180-bedroom hotel, visitors centre, merchandise shop and café

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As well as the stadium itself, the ambitious new complex will also house a cinema, a 180-bedroom hotel, visitors centre, merchandise shop and café, while the club's Grade II-listed Warmington House will be converted into an interactive museum charting the club's history in a feature called “The Tottenham Experience.” Three old buildings that restrict access to and from the grounds will be removed, and a public courtyard similar in scale to London's Trafalgar Square will be installed in their place. A new Extreme Sports building is also being designed, which is set to host the world's tallest climbing wall. As part of the deal, the scheme will also provide 579 new homes and a community health centre designed by London firm Allies & Morrison. The scheme follows Spur's bid to demolish and replace the Populous-designed London Olympic stadium following the 2012 games. The stadium was instead granted to fellow London team West Ham United.

A public courtyard similar in scale to London's Trafalgar Square will also be installed

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Populous senior principal Christopher Lee (no not that Christopher Lee, may he rest in peace), said of the unique designs: “Populous has always been a pioneer of new technologies. Moving pitches in stadia such as the University of Phoenix (NFL) stadium or the moving roof over centre court at Wimbledon have provided the critical experience to allow us to design a stadium that is perfect for both English football and American Football. The world first sliding pitch also allows each sport to play on its own dedicated pitch and provides perfect sight lines for their fans.” The designs will be submitted to the local council London Borough of Haringey for planning permission in the coming weeks. The stadium is expected to open in August 2018 in time for the club's 2018/19 season.

As part of the deal, the scheme will also provide 579 new homes and a community health centre designed by London firm Allies & Morrison

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Lee added: “It marks a new generation of stadia design: stadia that provide an unparalleled experience for all fans, that are civic in their nature and hold community at their heart but above all else create the most intense and atmospheric place to watch football. The seating bowl is designed to create an intimate relationship between player and spectator, its 17,000 capacity single tier end stand, a tribute to traditional English football grounds, will be the largest in the UK and will be the engine that drives the intensity and atmosphere in the new Spurs stadium. It will be like no other.” Which all sounds wonderful, but all I want to know is; will the beer be reasonably priced? Probably not, but then, would it really be football without over-priced lager and lukewarm pies?

Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer, struggling musician and Manchester United fan from Kidderminster in the UK.

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