Stars visit Alexander Stadium

Olympic 1500m silver medallist, Laura Muir, and double Paralympic gold medallist, Kadeena Cox, have made a special visit to the Alexander Stadium to see for themselves the progress being made on the redevelopment of the venue ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Both athletes used the visit to announce that they intend to compete at the major multi-sport event next summer. Muir, who will be representing Scotland, as she did at the 2014 edition of the Games, is determined to win a Commonwealth medal and is pleased to have the opportunity to do so in a British city where she’s previously seen success.

Laura said: “I would absolutely love to compete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It provides me with another opportunity to represent Scotland and it will mean coming back to compete in a city where I was fortunate enough to have won silver and bronze medals at the World Indoor Championships at Arena Birmingham three years ago. I’d love to win gold for Scotland next summer.”

Commenting on the redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium since she last competed there, Laura added: “I can’t believe this is the same stadium! The transformation is amazing, and it is fantastic that we now have this incredible revamped athletics facility in Birmingham. I can’t wait to compete here and to be able to do that in front of a huge crowd, packed with British fans will make this the Games a very, very special occasion.”

Kadeena Cox, who had to withdraw from the Gold Coast edition of the Games in 2018 because of injury, will be targeting the T38 100m at Birmingham 2022 and is also looking forward to competing in a packed stadium once more:

“What I love about the Commonwealth Games is that all of the Para sports are integrated into the main sports programme, so we get to come together as one big team competing on the same stage. I know Team England will be looking to win as many medals as possible at this home Games, and with a noisy, passionate crowd to inspire us once more, I’m sure the atmosphere will be fantastic.”

The main ticket ballot for Birmingham 2022 opened earlier in the month and organisers are extremely pleased with the number of applications received so far.

Matt Kidson, Director of Sport, for Birmingham 2022 said: “The appetite to come and attend the Games is obvious and we are seeing a huge demand for tickets which is providing the whole team with a massive boost.

“Sports like athletics, cycling, swimming and gymnastics are proving to be particularly popular, so if people do want to see these sports, I’d urge them to consider carefully which sessions they want to apply for, so that you can improve their chances of securing tickets.

“I’d also encourage everyone to think about applying for a sport they’ve never seen before. We’ve got 19 sports and eight Para sports on the programme including boxing, badminton, squash, judo and table tennis, all of which are full of drama and incredibly exciting to watch. A multi-sport event is a fantastic chance to fall in love with a new sport and to witness sporting history being made.”

As well as applying for tickets for the 286 sessions of sport, tickets for the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony are also up for grabs and both of these special events will be held in the newly transformed Alexander Stadium, which will see temporary seating installed alongside the giant new stand, to increase the capacity to around 30,000 for games time.

Cllr John O’Shea, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Parks at Birmingham City Council, who own the stadium and are overseeing the redevelopment said: “It is a delight to have been able to welcome Laura and Kadeena to see the progress being made on the Alexander Stadium ahead of next summer. They are two of the world’s leading athletes and it will be great to see them in action in front of thousands of fans during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“There are plenty of chances to come and see the revamped Stadium in the heart of Perry Park during the Games itself – from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies right through to the packed programme of athletics and Para athletics action.

“As the Proud Host City, it is an honour to be preparing the stage for the Games by delivering a world-class Alexander Stadium. Now is the time to enter the ballot to be in with a chance to get tickets to events being held at all of the Games venues, so you can say you were there.”

To apply for tickets for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, go to birmingham2022.com, create your ticket account and follow the ballot process. You can plan your Games by taking a look at the competition schedule and the venue information that is available on the site, before submitting your application by 8pm on 30 September.

To be fair to everyone, applications are limited to one per household and ticket limits for sessions will apply. At the end of the ballot window, tickets will be allocated at random. Applicants may get all of the tickets they applied for, some of the tickets or none of the tickets.

Tickets for the Games start at £8 for under 16s and £15 for adults and applicants will find out in October if they have been successful in securing tickets.

Notes to editors:

The only place to apply for tickets to the Games is at www.birmingham2022.com.

How the ticket ballot works

You can apply for tickets to any of the 286 sessions of sport during the Games. There are limits to the number of tickets in each session that you can apply for.

To be fair to everyone, applications are limited to one per household, and multiple applications from the same person are not permitted. You must be 18 years of age or over to apply.

Please consider carefully which tickets you’d like to apply for, as you won’t be able to amend your application once it’s been submitted, though you can cancel your application and submit a new one, as long as it is before 30 September.

At the end of each ballot window, tickets will be allocated at random. Applicants might get all of the tickets they applied for, some of the tickets or none of the tickets.

If you are successful in securing tickets, you will be notified by email within 30 days of the ballot closing date, and payment will be taken 72 hours later, so make sure you have sufficient funds in your account and that your payment card hasn’t expired.

About the redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium and the partners who have funded this project:

The £72.4million Stadium redevelopment project is due for completion in spring 2022 and is being part-funded funded by West Midlands Combined Authority (£25million) and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (£20million), with the council providing the remainder of the funding.

About WMCA

The West Midlands Combined Authority is made up of 18 local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships working together to move powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands.

About GBSLEP

The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership Limited (GBSLEP) is a partnership of business, public sector and further and higher education leaders. Its mission is to drive inclusive economic growth across the city-region, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for everyone.

Since 2010, the government has awarded GBSLEP £433 million to invest in a range of projects to grow the local economy. These include transport infrastructure, skills development, business support, innovation, and cultural and creative assets. The GBSLEP Growth Hub provides direct business support and has helped over businesses to help realise their growth potential.

GBSLEP are proud to be contributing £20 million from the Local Growth Fund to the re-development of Alexander Stadium, which will act a catalyst for wider investment in the area.

The GBSLEP area spans nine local authority areas: Birmingham, Solihull, East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth, Redditch, Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest.

About Midlands Engine and the Local Growth Fund

• The government is committed to making the Midlands an Engine for Growth in the UK, increasing economic growth and improving the quality of life for everyone. The Midlands is home to over 10 million people and over 780,000 businesses. Its economy is worth £217.7 billion.
• So far the Government has awarded £1.9 billion in three rounds of Growth Deals across the Midlands. 8 Enterprise Zones have been established in the Midlands Engine since 2012, and 3 zones have been extended.
• By March 2016 these had attracted almost £1 billion of private investment, and created 85 new businesses and 7,291 jobs.
• Local Growth Fund Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone. That’s why, by 2021, Government will have invested over £12bn through the Local Growth Fund, allowing LEPs to use their local knowledge to get all areas of the country firing on all cylinders.
• Analysis has shown that every £1 of Local Growth Fund invested could generate £4.81 in benefits.

About the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games   

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be held from 28 July until 8 August 2022, will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to put the city, the region and its people on the global stage.   

The Games is already proving to be a catalyst for transformation across the West Midlands, attracting new investment and funding, creating jobs and apprenticeships for local people and new opportunities for local businesses, as well as accelerating projects that will ensure the region is ready to host a fantastic sports and cultural celebration.   

Birmingham 2022 will be the Games for everyone, bringing people together from across Birmingham and the region, to provide a warm welcome to millions of visitors during the summer of 2022. Find out more on the Commonwealth Games website.