There's a World Cup stadium growing outside my window

Pic: Cape town Stadium is left of centre.

I've always wanted to live by the sea..... and by a major sports stadium. The sea part is understandable to most people, the stadium part less so. I don't know what it is about big stadia but they've always done it for me. My first visit to any major stadium is indelibly imprinted on my mind. Dalymount Park, Old Trafford, Croke Park, Lansdowne Road, Yankee Stadium, Wembley, Highbury, Elland Road and Newlands cricket ground...........I can recall the game,

the weather, the sounds and the smell. In the 1970's the smell was always likely to be of wee and cigarettes but, believe me, the wee at Dalymount smelled different to that at Lansdowne. Each place had a feel that was impossible to replicate.

Even today I get a thrill when I pass any major stadium. The best part about circling Heathrow is to see how many major stadia you can pick out from the sky. Craven Cottage, Stamford Bridge and Griffin Park (major ?) are a given, but I've done those plus Wembley, Twickenham and The Oval in one holding pattern. In my student life I've lived within walking distance of Upton Park and Loftus Road. The challenge there was to see how close to Saturday 3pm you could walk nonchalantly out your front door, buy a programme and a burger and still be in time for kick-off.

All very cool, but that was only the beginning. I soon realised that my life's progress would be measured purely in terms of how close I got to live to a major stadium. Joburg was impressive. I could vaguely hear the rolling Stones playing at Ellis park through my living room window. But that was nothing compared to Cape Town where I could sit on my patio and listen to Rod Stewart, Elton John or the Indian Premier League on any given Friday night. My living room was lit bright by floodlights and the roar of the crowd rendered the 2-second tv broadcast delay irrelevant.

Clearly I've found my home. In the last 12 months I've gone out my front door and walked 10 minutes to see a SA vs Australia 5-day test, the all-conquering Springboks, not to mention Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Alex Ferguson.

The only problem is that I can't see the sea from my house. Which is why I think I've now discovered the ultimate place to live.The only problem is that it's where I work. When I look out of my office window I see Signal Hill, Table Mountain is off to my left and the Cape

Town Waterfront is on my right. But right smack bang in front of me is a vision the likes of which only a stadium junkie would truly appreciate.

For now it's called Green Point Stadium but it's soon to be renamed Cape Town Stadium. Let me tell you now that this will be the abiding icon of World Cup 2010. And far beyond 2010 this is a place where any sportsperson or musician worth their salt will want to play.

Through my office window I've seen this giant rise from the earth. And last week I got to see inside it. It is a thing of beauty. From whatever point you sit in this stadium you will feel that you are actually playing with Kaka, Messi and (please God) Keane. You will bask in the African sun as it filters through a spectacular glass roof.

It may have cost twice it's original price tag to complete which, believe me, has been a bone of contention to many Capetonians, but this place is going to repay the investment over and

over again.

I visited Sydney last year and felt right at home when my tour guide told me that the Opera House exceeded budget by something like 1000%, took 12 years longer to build than planned, and was roundly ridiculed by most Sydneysiders. Today the Opera House probably brings in as much revenue to Sydney in 1 day as it cost to build.

When the final whistle goes in the World cup Semi Final on 7th July 2010 Cape Town stadium will already be an icon recognised around the world. If you make it to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup 2010 make a point of visiting this special place, even if your team isn't playing there. It's an experience you won't forget.

Best of all, when you leave this perfect arena, you will walk, not into a tangled concrete jungle, but into the welcoming streets of the most beautiful city on earth.

Check it out. These pics taken on Fri 9th October 2009. Completion date 14th Dec 2009.