[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=43751.msg1258681#msg1258681 date=1295636905]
Man City conversion:
After the Commonwealth Games, extensive work was carried out on the stadium to convert it for use as a football stadium. Following the success of athletics events at the Commonwealth Games, the decision to convert the stadium into a football venue received criticism from athletics figures such as Jonathan Edwards and Sebastian Coe after their praise of the stadium,[34] but redevelopment was deemed necessary to give the venue a financially viable long-term future. Sections of the track were removed and relaid at other athletics venues,[35] and the ground level was lowered to make way for an additional tier of seating. The temporary stand was dismantled, and replaced with a permanent structure of similar design to the existing one at the southern end. This extensive work took a year and added 12,000 seats. Manchester City F.C. moved to the new ground for the 2003–04 season. The conversion cost in excess of £30 million, funded by the football club.[36]
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Yeah, that was all sorted before it was built too, so the original plans took the conversion into account when the stadium was built. To turn this stadium into a footy stadium is mental, seats 47m from the pitch behind the goals? Fuck that.