 Main entrance to the stadium | |
 | |
| Full name | Gateshead International Stadium |
|---|---|
| Former names | Gateshead Youth Stadium |
| Location | Neilson Road Gateshead Tyne and Wear NE10 0EF |
| Coordinates | 54°57′40″N 1°34′47″W / 54.96111°N 1.57972°W |
| Owner | Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Operator | Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Capacity | 11,800 |
| Record attendance | 14,797 (sports),[3] 30,000 (various concerts) |
| Field size | 100 by 64 metres (109.4 yd × 70.0 yd) |
| Acreage | 24.4 hectares |
| Surface | Synthetic running track, grass inner |
| Scoreboard | Yes – by HS Sports[1] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1955 |
| Built | 1955 |
| Opened | 27 August 1955 |
| Renovated | 1974 |
| Expanded | 2010 |
| Construction cost | Originally £30,000 (1955)[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Gateshead A.F.C. (1973) Gateshead United (1974–1977) Gateshead F.C. (1977–present) Gateshead Harriers (1956–present) Gateshead Senators (1988–2012) Gateshead Thunder (1999) Gateshead Thunder (2001–2014) | |
Gateshead International Stadium (GIS) is a multi-purpose, all-seater venue in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. Originally known as the Gateshead Youth Stadium, the venue was built in 1955 at a cost of £30,000. It has since been extensively re-developed on three occasions. Its capacity of around 11,800[nb 1] is the greatest in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, the third-largest in Tyne and Wear (behind St James' Park and the Stadium of Light), and the sixth-largest in North East England.[5]
The main arena is principally used for athletics. The inaugural athletics competition at the redeveloped venue, the 1974 "Gateshead Games", was instigated by Brendan Foster, a Gateshead Council employee at that time. By breaking the world record in the men's 3,000 m, Foster brought international publicity to the new stadium and began a tradition of athletics competitions at the venue, which has since hosted the British Grand Prix (2003–10) and the European Team Championships in 1989, 2000 and 2013. It is the only venue to have hosted the latter event three times. Five world records have been set at the stadium, including two by pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and a tied 100 metres record by Asafa Powell in 2006.
Although Gateshead International Stadium primarily caters for athletics, it is the current or former home to teams in several sports. It has been used by Gateshead F.C. and its predecessors since 1973. It was home to the Gateshead Thunder rugby league club during their spell in the Super League and the replacement Gateshead Thunder club played home games in the main arena, which was known as the Thunderdome when used by that team[6] until the club relocated to Newcastle in 2015. Gateshead Harriers Athletic Club, which includes Foster and Jonathan Edwards among its life members, are the oldest tenants, having used the site since 1956. The stadium has also been used as a concert venue by numerous musical artists including Little Mix, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams and Tina Turner.
- ^ "HS Sports: references". HS Sports. 2012. Archived from the original on 30 December 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
gateshead1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ McGuirk, Bill (27 August 2009). "Gateshead Stadium still a world-beater venue". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ Quinn, Derek (27 January 2009). "Report to Cabinet – Delivery of the Redevelopment of Gateshead International Stadium". Gateshead MBC. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2012. at p.3
- ^ "Stadiums in North East England". World Stadiums. 2012. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
- ^ "Gateshead Thunder end two-and-a-half-year wait for win". the BBC. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
Cite error: There are <ref group=nb> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=nb}} template (see the help page).