Giants Stadium LED Installation
QMS SPORT
In 2019 QMS Sport added to their extensive portfolio of digital assets with 375m of LED signage at Giants Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park. Home to the AFL's GWS Giants and Sydney Thunder cricket team, Giants Stadium has hosted some of the biggest sporting events in the country in addition to concerts, festivals and more.
CID was engaged to not only install the 375m of LED signage on 6 Stands and Video Board section, but was also responsible for the design, manufacture and assembly of custom mounting brackets, and was heavily involved in overall project management, working in close collaboration with QMS Sport and other stakeholders.
Project Management
Installation works were scheduled during the 2019 AFL Season, therefore the timing of each phase of the project was critical to coincide with fixtures at the ground.
CID was responsible for managing supply chains, liaising with other contractors and stakeholders, and ultimately ensuring onsite works were complete to specification and on time.
All 375 LED panels, custom brackets, and large support frame underneath the Video Board were installed, certified and commissioned within 6 weeks.
Custom Design
CID's design and engineering team started with a thorough review of the 6 Stands and
Video Board section in order to document and analyze the existing structures.
Custom bracket solutions were then designed to suit the different structures. Each bracket designwas drawn in 3D CAD to allow structural analysis before drafting engineering drawings for final sign-off prior to manufacturing and assembly.
Safety First
Safety is always the top priority at CID, therefore a significant amount of time and resources was invested in structural analysis of the existing stands, custom bracket system and all fixings to the existing structures.
CID's Structural Engineer conducted rigorous simulations on the 3D CAD models of each bracket variation before approving production of parts. A thorough onsite inspection was also undertaken to check and certify that all works complied with the relevant Australian Standards.
Engineering Challenges
In addition to installation on the concrete parapets, CID was also required to install a 40m section underneath the large Video Board. This posed an engineering challenge as the external cladding was not adequate to support the weight of the LED panels.
To overcome this challenge CID's team designed a custom frame which was fabricated and welded onsite. Penetrations were neatly cut in the cladding to allow access for welding to the existing structure, before patching the holes and installing the LED panels.
Experience and Creativity
With another very tight timeline for installation works, CID had to draw upon its extensive experience and creativity to devise innovative methods to expedite installation works, while still maintaining the highest level of quality and safety.
Pre-fabrication and assembly of bracket components was done at CID's Sydney based facility, while custom installation tools and components were also developed to suit the individual sections.
Immediate Impact
Only hours after completion of installation works, Giants Stadium hosted an AFL fixture which was broadcast around the world. The newly installed digital signage significantly enhances the experience of spectators both at the ground and watching on TV, as well as providing a cutting-edge digital platform for media and advertising applications.