BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 11TH 2014 (CUOPM) – With the announcement that Warner Park, St Kitts has been chosen as the host of the final, semi-finals and six group-phase matches during the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), St Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Sports, the Hon. Glen Phillip, said: “We are delighted to welcome some of the biggest stars in cricket to Warner Park during this year’s competition. Carnival cricket has always been synonymous with the Caribbean, and we’re looking forward to showing an audience of millions around the globe that St. Kitts and Nevis can host a party like no other.”
Warner Park, originally rebuilt for the 2007 ICC World Cup, has gone undergone a huge renovation in time to welcome the CPL this summer.
The 8,000 capacity ground is set to welcome the CPL for the very first time, giving the people of St. Kitts and Nevis the chance to experience the thrill of the competition first-hand.
The people of St Kitts and Nevis will also be able to enjoy a week of celebration and entertainment put on to support the final, ensuring that the CPL lives up to its reputation as being the Biggest Party in Sport.
The CPL was launched last year to sell-out crowds. Over 250,000 spectators attended matches in Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and St Lucia, and a global TV audience of 36 million was entertained by the skills of international stars including Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Ricky Ponting and Muttiah Muralitharan.
In addition to the arrival of world class Twenty20 cricket, the local community of St. Kitts and Nevis is set to reap the economic and social benefits created by the tournament.
A recently released report from the Mona School of Business revealed that last year’s competition improved the GDP of all six host islands, with a combined impact of US$105 million generated across the region.
Warner Park has undergone recent development to enable it to host CPL matches with the construction of state of the art lighting facilities. In addition to being awarded the games, the investment is set to be key to the development of local grassroots projects, with the Ministry of Sport planning to utilise Warner Park’s new capabilities to hold after school programmes for local students.
Pete Russell, Chief Operations Officer of CPL, said: “We cannot wait to bring the big-hitting excitement of the CPL to Warner Park. By awarding these prestigious matches to St Kitts and Nevis we are demonstrating that the whole of the Caribbean can celebrate and enjoy the successes of this global tournament. The renovation of the stadium was a key factor in the bid succeeding; the new facilities are second to none, and we’re keen to provide show-stopping cricket to match.”
The Limacol CPL returns in July and August 2014. Jamaica Tallawahs will defend their title against the St Lucia Zouks, Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, Antigua Hawksbills, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents.