King Abdullah Sports City Stadium

King Abdullah Sports City provides the most impressive state of the art facilities and services that have been created to provide an experience to be enjoyed by all visitors, whether they are spectators, organisers or the athletes themselves.  Opened in 2014, the stadium is a modern 60,000 all-seater stadium which is the focal part of the development.

The stadium has a range of high quality facilities for spectators, players, officials, security, media, and event co-ordinators — delivering the ultimate sporting experience.  The 3-level concourse has a range of areas and facilities including first aid rooms and bin stores, as well as equipment such as TV monitors, ATM machines and drinking fountains.

At pitch level there are loading bays, emergency services, staff car parking, a central production kitchen and a press conference room. Player facilities are located at pitch level with a secure dedicated drop-off/entrance and direct access to the pitch via a central tunnel. The player facilities are designed to FIFA standards, and include high quality changing rooms, warm-up areas, prayer rooms and a top class first aid centre.

Operational facilities include referees changing room, general coordinators’ office, match commissioners’ office, officials’ offices and meeting room, ball boys changing room and a doping control centre. There are also facilities for event staff, including stores and an event presentation centre which controls the PA system, music and electronic screens.

Clive Richardson Limited was awarded the contract in early 2016 for the replacement and reconstruction of King Abdullah Sports City Stadium Pitch & upgrade works to the associated Turf Nursery.  The finished surface was to be the first ever industry leading DESSO Grassmaster system installed in Saudi Arabia

The following elements were included in the specification for the reconstruction of the pitch at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium:

• Excavation and disposal of existing pitch profile including all materials. Ensuring protection of services.
• Construction of pitch profile on a prepared formation, installation of geotextile, level including pipe drain installation into the formation level.
• Installation of irrigation system including pump set, water storage tank connection and control unit.
• Installation of underpitch heating system pipe networks to pitch edge to enable future extension and installation of pumps and gas heaters.
• Installation of 3G synthetic turf run-offs and ducting.
• Turf harvesting and installation from the existing natural nursery in to the stadium pitch.
• Install DESSO Grassmaster into pitch

Clive Richardson Limited undertook the project to deliver the landmark stadium pitch in Saudi Arabia.  Working within a new country, Clive Richardson Limited brought their stadium Pitch construction expertise to the project to deliver a pitch of exceptional quality in extremely challenging weather conditions.

The main bulk of the works were carried out by Clive Richardson Limited over a 10 week period from late May 2016 until early August 2016.  The pitch was made ready for the first match to be played on it on 12 August 2016.  Clive Richardson Limited maintained a presence in the Stadium and turf nursery through to March 2017 when our team returned to the site.  At this time the existing pitch surface was removed and the pitch returfed with turf harvested from the turf nursery.  At this point the DESSO Grassmaster stitching process was completed.  The pitch was made ready for an international match between Saudi Arabia and Iraq on 28 March 2017.

Clive Richardson Limited delivered the project using the following staged methodology:

1. Dig out and dispose of the existing pitch profile.
2. Install new undersoil heating system
3. Install new primary drainage system
4. Install new irrigation system
5. Install gravel raft
6. Install lower sand rootzone
7. Install upper rootzone with additives
8. Harvest turf from existing turf nursery and lay onto new pitch profile
9. Supervise pitch grow-in and maintenance from July 2016 through to March 2017
10. Take over turf nursery and install new irrigation system
11. Sow out with new grass cultivars
12. Supervise grow-in and maintenance of turf nursery through to March 2017
13. Return to stadium in March 2017 and remove surface from pitch
14. Harvest turf from turf nursery and lay onto stadium pitch
15. Re-sow nursery
16. Install DESSO Grassmaster synthetic fibre into stadium pitch
17. Continued supervision of stadium pitch and turf nursery grow-in and maintenance