The National Sports Centre's new grandstand has been well received, but Charlie Marshall, vice chairman of the Trustees, reminds there is still a long way to go.

The recently completed grandstand was used for the Friendship and FA Cup finals as fans to the National Sports Centre sat under covering for the first time. Journalists have their own media room and in front of them are a few rows of seats for VIP.

All of the more than 2,000 seats provide protection from wind and rain, allowing the spectators to watch matches in comfort. The facility is coming up to international standard.

"It's one step forward and a lot of steps left to go and we will achieve it over time with support from everybody," Mr. Marshall said.

"So far we've got positive response on everything, everybody who's been there and used the facilities seem to be quite pleased with them."

The grandstand has just two changing rooms for teams as well as a room for officials, but there are plans to have eight changing rooms in the centre concourse which is part of future development.

"The toilet facilities are adequate for the stands but the changing rooms are the biggest issue of all," acknowledged Mr. Marshall.

"Obviously it (grandstand) was not designed with that in mind and those changing rooms were just going to be used by the field hockey people and when a big tournament is on they will have use of the eight changing rooms in the main concourse."

Another area to be worked on is the presentation area for the grandstand and a portable ramp will be put in place for that purpose once the jumping pit is completed.

"All the dignitaries will come down and the teams will come up on the ramp and be presented their cup and medals and go down the other side," explained Mr. Marshall.

"One of the biggest problems is trying to keep spectators away from the presentation area and that issue is something we will have ongoing discussion about with the BFA and all users of the facility."

Admission to the grandstand for the two finals was more expensive than the cost of sitting on the opposite end of the field. But for $13 it is still a good price, Mr. Marshall feels.

"There have been some negatives about the costs. I had a friend of mine who was upset about paying $13, but he just came back from paying $80 at a baseball game," said Mr. Marshall.

"At the end of the day it has to be paid for as far as maintaining it. We haven't had 2000 people in the grandstand yet but it takes us almost three days to clean it. Upkeep of the toilets has increased, all of it costs money and it has to come from the revenue that it generates. People are going to have to pay more and that is the price we pay for progress."

Next on the agenda is the building of an artificial surface for field hockey as well as the cricket pavilion on the northern field. Construction of the cricket pavilion will go out to bid soon.

"Hopefully, this time next year we will be talking about the centre concourse because the rest will be finished," Mr. Marshall revealed.

No start date has been set for that project.

"The centre concourse is over 260,000 square feet, three stories high on the northern side and with a gymnasium, cultural centre and the 50 metre swimming pool and a 25 metre leisure pool.

"It has all just about been designed but that process has been put on hold at this stage because of an audit review by Government on all of the expenses on the National Sports Centre. In the meantime we are pressing ahead with the all-weather pitch (on the Robert's Avenue side of the grandstand), the completion of the cricket pavilion and the facilities where the netball area will be."

The grandstand also has a timing booth on the southern end of the stand which is adjacent to the finish line for track meets and will be mostly for that sport. However, for the recent finals that room was used as a lounge for the VIP guests.

"Government had discussions with us about putting a lounge in, but by the time it was looked at it was far too late in the project to make any structural changes," Mr. Marshall revealed. He did say a lounge for about 250 people was in the plans for the centre concourse.

"Eventually, yes, there will be a very large area to host any type of reception overlooking the fields."

Sports Minister Randy Horton, a former top footballer who played in major finals at the National Stadium when the old pavilion still existed, is pleased with the way the centre is developing.

He missed the Friendship final because he was in the Bahamas with the Carifta team, but was present for the FA Cup final.

"One disappointment I have is that we don't have an area in there better suited for corporate sponsors, a place where they can entertain which many stadia have," said the Minister, himself a former soccer professional in the United States.

"We still hope to have an official opening sometime soon. Once all the jumping pits in the front of the stand are completed, I expect by the middle of June we will have an official opening.

"It's a great start and I'm certainly pleased with it. I'm sure most people who were there were satisfied with the comfort."

Former BFA President Donald Dane, now an Honorary Life Vice President, and North Village President Shervin Dill both sat in the VIP section for the finals. From what was there a decade ago for the World Cup qualifying campaign under Dane's BFA's presidency, the centre is moving in the right direction.

"I did have some concerns about the toilet facilities, particularly the unisex ones at the top where just one person can get in it," said Mr. Dane who is otherwise pleased with the new structure.

"On the eastern side there is a bathroom that can accommodate ten to 15 people at once. I haven't had a tour of the facility, I can just talk about the stand."

Mr. Dill, whose team appeared in both the Friendship and FA finals, sat in comfort both days, watching his team lose the first final and then win the second. He remembers years ago when it was every players' dream to play at the National Stadium and would like to see that return.

"I think it is good for the country that we have a national stadium inclusive of a grandstand," said Mr. Dill.

"It takes it to another level in terms of achievement. I have always felt that you should earn the right to play at the National Stadium and all championship matches should be played there, inclusive of the youth championship finals.

"I was a bit disappointed that last week we had to host the youth championships at Bernard Park. I think we need to be sending the same message to the youth, that if you qualify to play in the final than you should be given the opportunity to play at your National Stadium. You really feel as if you are achieving something."

The crowds for the two finals were not as big as expected, with the Friendship and Shield finals attracting more people than the FA final as the cold weather for the second final probably having something to do with it.

Mr. Dill thinks better more media build-up would also have helped generate more interest in the finals and helped to bring out the spectators.

"I can say when we played the Friendship final the atmosphere was really electric and the players felt it," said Mr. Dill.

"I was a bit disappointed with the crowd for the FA. The facility is a first class facility, there is good crowd control, everybody is seated and has a perfect view of the pitch. If we can get everybody to behave and be drug free I'm sure we will get the crowds back out."