Groundbreaking Ceremony For Football Stadium October 31

With the completion of a Lease Agreement between the Government of Anguilla and the Anguilla Football Association (AFA), the enabling conditions to facilitate the construction of Anguilla’s first football stadium are now in place.

The million-dollar stadium will be constructed on the grounds of the James Ronald Webster Park Annex.

President of the Anguilla Football Association, Mr. Raymond Guishard, commented that the AFA did not wait for the ink on the Lease Agreement to dry before they announced to FIFA and the Government, that, they will be commemorating the official construction start date with a ground-breaking ceremony on Monday 31st October.

The construction of a football stadium has been on the discussion table with both the government and people of Anguilla for some time. Last year, the AFA and the Government of Anguilla agreed that they would collaborate on this initiative through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement. The signing of the MOA came after the FIFA Goal Bureau approved the construction of one playing field with a security fence, artificial lighting and a grandstand with offices, changing rooms, media rooms, match official room, medical room, a sports shop, V.I.P lounge and a perimeter fence at its meeting on 15 October 2003.

This project will be the AFA’s first independent administration base and will serve as a technical centre for football development at all levels (national teams, youth, clubs, etc.). This facility will also underline the progressive image of the Association which has improved significantly since the launch of the FIFA Financial Assistance and Goal Programmes.

The AFA Administrators expressed sincere gratitude to the Government of Anguilla for leasing the James Ronald Webster Annex to the Anguilla Football Association for the development of football. The kind gesture has enabled them to commence the football stadium.

Mr. Guishard described the importance of meeting FIFA’s deadline as, “an opportunity to continue to do what we have done so remarkably well throughout our proud history: focus on the development and promotion of football among the citizenry not just for this generation, but for the many generations to come… We have a very special mission and we realise that what we do makes a real difference in how the young people of our island are equipped to become contributors to national development.”

The AFA’s feasibility study of building a football stadium recommended that a semi-covered, semi-open air, 1100-seat stadium could be built for about US $1.2 million, including site preparation and infrastructure improvements. Eighty percent (80%) or US$960, 000.00 of the cost of the stadium is being funded through non-Anguillian and non-government dollars, including a substantial amount of funds from the FIFA Goal Programme.

Mr. Guishard said that in the true sense of partnership, collaboration and cooperation is needed to ensure the success of large initiatives such as this one, the AFA is hoping to raise the remaining 20% or US$240, 000.00 through the launching of sponsorship opportunities and the ultimate creation of a National Football Development Capital Campaign.

Representatives from FIFA, CONCACAF and the CFU will be coming to Anguilla to join Government of Anguilla officials, President Guishard and other members of the AFA to officially commence construction on the facility at the groundbreaking ceremony. According to Guishard, “This is indeed a historic occasion – no Anguillian should lose out on the opportunity of being part of the momentous event… This is their last time to see the Annex as just a grass field.”

All Anguillians, residents and football lovers are invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, which will commence at 10:30 a.m.

- Press Release

Ronald Webster Park Annex, part of the area to be developed as the football stadium