This week it was Coldplay; next March water play will take over Rod Laver Arena. The home of tennis and concerts and even Disney on Ice was incorporated into the 2007 World Swimming Championships program by organisers last July.
The venue will be used for swimming and synchronised swimming in a specially installed Olympic-sized pool that will not greatly reduce the stadium's 15,000-spectator capacity.
The installation system, known as "skypool", allows the pool to sit on the floor using free-standing galvanised steel panels.The use of Rod Laver Arena has prompted criticism in the media, given that $60 million was spent preparing the new outdoor competition pool at the MSAC for the Commonwealth Games. But the Government defends the decision, stressing that the MSAC pool will still be heavily used during next year's championships.
The World Swimming Championships is a multidisciplinary event, involving traditional swimming races, a water polo competition, open water swimming, diving and synchronised swimming. Running all events over the 16-day period between March 17 and April 1 requires several pools.
Instead of swimming events, the MSAC outdoor pool will be used for water polo matches, with organisers confident that big crowds will still flock to the venue.
The use of Rod Laver Arena is a headache for entertainment promoters. The venue is taken over by tennis in January for the Australian Open and concerts and shows will not return until May at the earliest.
Source: http://theage.com.au
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