Aviva Stadium Targets Heineken Cup Final

The new look 50,000 capacity home of Irish rugby is expected to re-open its gates in the summer of 2010 and the stadium management have confirmed that they will be targeting a bid for the Heineken Cup final for the following year.

Making the announcement, Philip Browne, Chairman of the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company and Chief Executive of the Irish Rugby Football Union, said that The IRFU and FAI are confident that in Aviva Stadium they have a model that will sustain both of their sports well into the future.

Browne believes the Aviva Stadium will be of huge benefit to the economy as a whole saying "Previous research shows that the weekend of an Ireland v England rugby international has an economic impact of up to €90 million on the local economy. He added, "it needs to be remembered that in any given year Aviva Stadium will host around ten major international sporting occasions, not to mention concerts and events such as the UEFA final which the FAI has already secured or a future Heineken Cup final.

"Even taking the most conservative view, I do not think it would be exaggerating to say that Aviva Stadium could have an impact of some €250 million on the local economy each year.

The former Lansdowne Road has a rich Heineken Cup pedigree having hosted two previous finals in 2003 when Toulouse defeat Toulouse defeat Perpignan and 1999 when Ulster overcame Colmiers. The "old lady" has also staged four Heineken Cup semi-finals, three quarter-finals and several home Pool matches for Leinster.