2010 soccer world cup, Holland vs Japan, Durban, South Africa

Good morning from a very sunny and warm Durban............it is 19 June 2010 and woo-hoo, today Holland will play a 2010 soccer world cup group match against Japan at the awesome Moses Mabhida Stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Mabhida_Stadium) in my city, Durban, South Africa

With its "arch of triumph", the Moses Mabhida Stadium is a defining landmark similar to Sydney's Opera House or The London Eye.

In addition to this internationally acclaimed engineering feat, the multi-disciplinary aspect of the stadium's design allows the stadium to host a wide range of sporting and cultural events, putting it on a par with other international venue' s such as the Stade du France and Wembley Stadium.

http://redhouse.co.za/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=163

The Moses Mabhida Stadium has changed the way we view sporting venues in South Africa.

A stadium may be venerated as the scene of many an epic clash, but it need not be a monolith that only comes alive on "match day" - or when the members of the band plug in their guitars.

This Stadium with its facilities is not only a tourist attraction in its own right, but also the centrepiece of the King's Park Sporting Precinct, which will support a wide range of sporting, commercial, cultural, retail and leisure activities seven days a week, 365 days a year.

http://fifaworldcup.durban.gov.za/Pages/Stadium_Webcam.aspx

Quick Facts

• Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium will have the capacity to hold 70, 000 spectators during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Its design allows the stadium seating to be reduced to 54,000 for local matches or up-scaled to 80,000 for events such as the Olympic Games.
• There are 150 corporate hospitality suites with 7,500 seats.
• The grand centre arch, 106m high, is not just a design feature. A cable car will take visitors up to its highest point, where they can get out and enjoy breathtaking, panoramic views of the city and ocean. http://fifaworldcup.durban.gov.za/Pages/stadium_skycar.aspx
• The 350m long free-span steel arch weighs 2600 tons - that's the equivalent of 2,600 average cars.
• The roof is made of 46,000m2 of Teflon®-coated glass fibre membranes, which will produce a translucent glow when the stadium is lit.
• The roof is attached to the arch by 95mm-diameter steel cables.
• Each seat of the all-seater stadium is spacious and comfortable, providing clear line-of-sight to the pitch.
• A roof cover will provide shelter to 80% of the stadium in the case of rain.

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