Brian Lara Stadium

Brian Lara Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago that is currently under construction. When completed in 2007, it will be used mostly for cricket matches and was supposed to host matches during the 2007 Cricket World Cup, however ongoing delays in construction have forced its exclusion. It will hold 15,000 people. It is named for Brian Lara, the all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket.

Development of the Stadium
The Brian Lara Stadium is one of the most controversial stadia built in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the fact that it is under the state company UDECOTT, does not help the situtation. The initial cost (2006) of the stadium was $500 million TT dollars however, with the cost overruns and the increase in prices of materials, this amount has increased significantly. The Chairman of UDECOTT, as of June 2008 placed the approximate completion date at July 2008, some 2 years after the initial estimated handover.

Tarouba Complex
The Brian Lara Stadium is part of a large complex situated on 180 acres of farm lands in Tarouba, Trinidad with a cost of $850 million TT dollars. It was designed by Hellmuth, Obalat & Kassabum, a US architectural firm. The complex will consist of:An aquatic centre. Olympic-sized cycling velodrome. Indoor gymnasium. School for training of athletes. A large car park, new roads and other infrastructural works. The Brian Lara stadium and cricket academy.

This stadium will serve as a training facility for cricket players. It will feature four indoor cricket training pitches with computerised biometric technology to measure an athlete’s performance, including two full-length run-up pitches for fast-bowlers. Patrons at the stadium will have an unhindered view from every area of the facility, including the concessionaires area. It also has areas specifically designed for the print, radio and television media, respectively. The facility may also see the construction of a hotel in the future.