Chronicle Editor
Tadious Manyepo, Sports Writer
WORK to expand the seating capacity of Prophet Walter Magaya’s Heart Stadium to 10 000 is set to commence on Monday next week.
The facility was officially commissioned by President Mnangagwa last Sunday having been completed within two months.
The first brick was laid on August 15. The Waterfalls arena currently has a capacity of 5 000 people.
Yet it could open its doors to football matches for the first time already housing double that figure with Prophet Magaya saying the upgrading works will be done by February next year.
It will be the first time to see a stadium built to accommodate 5 000 spectators being expanded to double that figure before even staging its very first game.
“As the Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance Ministries, we have decided to expand the 5 000-seater newly-built Heart Stadium into being a 10 000-seater.
“Preliminary works are already complete and the proper construction will start on Monday next week,” said Magaya.
“I am happy that President Mnangagwa came to bless this stadium last Sunday. We were looking to have it as a 5 000-seater for at least one year then expand to 10 000 then 20 000.
“But we are very much aware of the pressing need to have a fully-compliant stadium with the Caf requirements. So we are ready to start working on this expansion project.
“We will also construct huge change-rooms at the VIP side as required by Caf. Our aim is to bring international football to Heart Stadium. We have the Warriors coming up and two of our clubs, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Dynamos are also going to play in the African club competitions next year.
“We can’t have all these teams play outside the country. We will try by all means to complete the expansion work by February next year. We are ready to start on Monday.
“We have already bought the bucket seats and they are already on their way from China. We are very happy.”
Magaya said the construction of access roads from Mbare direction will also start soon.
“We will also start the construction of access roads soon. By February everything including these access roads should be ready.
“The idea is to develop a standard stadium with everything in place. Parking bays are also being prepared and we are putting everything in place right now,” he said.
“After upgrading the stadium to a 10 000 seater, we are sure that it will meet the Caf standards. Eventually the venue will be upgraded to be able to house 20 000 people”.
Online Reporter