Canberra Stadium, originally known as Bruce Stadium, is a stadium primarily used for football in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Bruce is the Canberra suburb where the stadium is located, and in turn Bruce was named after Stanley Bruce, Australian Prime Minister 1923_1929.
Constructed in 1977 for the Pacific Games, it also was the venue for the 4th IAAF World Cup in Athletics. At the latter meet, the fastest 400m for women was recorded by East German Marita Koch _ a time that still stands today.
The stadium has played host to several local sporting teams such as the Canberra Arrows/Cosmos (soccer) and the shortlived Canberra Bushrangers (baseball). In 1990 the athletics track was removed, and the ground then became the home of the Canberra Raiders (rugby league) and, in 1996, the ACT Brumbies (rugby unionSuper 12).
Further renovations occurred in 1997 in preparation for staging soccer matches as part of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and matches from the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup where also hosted there.
Capacity is a nominal all_seated 25,000, the largest crowd being 28,753 for the 2004 Super 12 Final. The main grandstand is named after Raiders and Australian League legend Mal Meninga, and a statue of an another Raiders and Australian stalwart Laurie Daley adorns the main grandstand entrance.
"The only stadium that is a concern is BruceStadium in Canberra and the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) government is very confident that it will be sorted out," said Milton Cockburn, spokesman for the Sydney Olympic organising committee.
BruceStadium in Canberra had its playing surface relaid on August 10 with grass grown in Cairns in tropical north Queensland and local media have reported the grass has had problems adjusting to the chillier climate.
The main Olympic Stadium, which seats 110,000 and is the centrepiece of Sydney's sporting venues, will have its playing surface relaid immediately after the Opening Ceremony on September 15.
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