PGA Staging director Edward Kitson began planning the event from the moment the course was selected. Planning began nearly two years in advance to ensure the unique tournament lived up to the highest of standards, and he selected Arena Structures to supply over 21,200sq.m of structures to form key temporary venues on the course.
Arena Structure managing director Grahame Muir said: "We were delighted to be entrusted to supply the Ryder Cup and Ireland with their first ever triple storey hospitality suite, giving guests stunning vantage points. The PGA has produced an incredible event and the number of compliments we have received about the level of finish achieved in all of the structures has been earned by everyone in our team."
Many of the matches reached their gripping conclusions on the 18th Hole (The Hooker's Graveyard), flanked by the Boyne Suite, a luxurious Arena Structures triple-decker hospitality suite. The 15m x 100m Boyne Suite accommodated 2000 guests, with individually designed suites including the Past Players, PGA of America, PGA of GB Ireland Europe, Rolex, Waterford Crystal and Ireland (tourism). The highly praised hospitality suite also included a 10m x 40m triple deck kitchen allowing fresh food preparation and Arena's modern three storey toilet facilities for those all important comfort breaks.
The public Village area comprised a series of structures including a double decker 20m x 40m Seafood/Champagne restaurant, a 30m x 30m Budweiser bar, a variety of food outlets and exhibition structures for K Club, Ireland, Valhalla (next Ryder Cup in USA), the Medical Centre, a huge retail shop and a temporary bank. To complete the design of the Village, Arena Structures also supplied 5200m² of floor and Astroturf.
With an estimated TV audience in the region one billion golf fans there was a huge media entourage at the Ryder Cup, who were accommodated in an Arena Structures 50 x 30m TFS structure. The Media Centre incorporated a 30m x 35 m working area complete with screens and IT support, a two-storey dining/photographers area, a fully dressed team interview area, kitchen, toilets and cloakrooms. There were so many compliments from the press about the 'highest standard of media centre ever seen on a golf course' that the Ryder Cup's media officer issued their own press release about the TFS structure!
Arena Structures devoted a project management team (headed by Ron Smith and Rory O'Neill) to ensure the three month build ran smoothly, as it was the first time an event of this scale had been hosted at the K Club.
(Lee Baldock)
