Hi people. I came across this site and it seems informative and interesting so I thought I would register because I have a question to ask.

In 2000, prior to the openening of Colonial Stadium aka Telstra Dome, the Herald Sun released a 30 page booklet in conjunction with Channel 7 about the new stadium. Information in this booklet contained everything you would want to know about the stadium. I still have the booklet to this day.

On page 11 of this booklet, I quote:

"It was always intended to be a medium size stadium. It seats 52,660 for AFL football, but the arena can be reconfigured to hold audiences ranging from 12,000 to 74,000.

On pages 12-13, there is a double spread of the design of the structure beneath the actual seats. According to this computer generated picture, there are actual rails beneath the playing surface which allows the blocks of seats to move in forwards to make for a rectangular pitch. The moving of these blocks of seats also allows for the stadium capacity to be increased to 74,000 or to be reduced to 15,000.

Here is the explanation as stated by the booklet:

" A total of 12,600 seats in the lower tier can be electrically rolled forward up to 18m to form a rectangular field for soccer, rugby or other sports and stage events. It takes 30 workers about eight hours to re-configure the seating."

End quote.

The venue is now entering its fourth year as an operational stadium, and the thing is, I have never seen the seats reconfigured to either 15,000 or 74,000 capacity.

What I would like to know is, if anyone else ever read this particular booklet and if so, what it says about the reconfiguration being true or not...because I have yet to see it. Maybe that was the plan originally but then they may have decided to fix the seating at about 50,000 odd, I'm not sure. But I would like to know and if anyone can share light on this it would be much appreciated.

Cheers.

Yes this is true. The lower tier of seating has only ever been moved in one for a sporting events - Melbourne Storm v Brisbane Broncos. So I guess that 12,000 capacity means only opening the bottom level (there is a small section in each qtr of the stadium which cannot be used when the seats have been moved in). And the 74,000 would mean having all the stadium sections open as well as seating on the arena for big concerts.

Will the lower tiers be retracted for the rugby World Cup?..Considering that it will be October,it better be.The AFL have nothing to complain about it at that time of year.

I don't think they are moving in the seats for the World Cup. It's a pitty, but I suppose they can get an extra 2-3,000 in with the seats in their normal position. I know this from seeing the seating layout for the WC.

man..what a waste...They might as well bolt the stands in for good and never move them at all..Geeez..A rugby world cup..That sux real bad.

Agree with you totally Dan. I said this n the old forum in a sparring round with the Mr Docklands of this forum (gday joel ). What is the point of having retractable seats if they aren't in use. Thank you Telstra Stadium for taking advantage of technology at least once in your lifetime.

Cam and the rest of you fellas, thanks for your replies. So I guess it is true the seating at T.D. is retractable...and Jeffles I agree with you what a waste of technology.