Located at the end of Middlesbrough Park, the Southlands Community and Sports Centre welcomed its first official site visit after receiving a grant of £100,000 ($134,565) from the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundation Fund.
The center will be built on the former site of the original Southlands Centre on Ormesby Road, led by Middlesbrough City Council and in collaboration with the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, with additional support from the central government.
The guest lineup for the inspection included former professional player and well-known broadcaster Chris Kamara, Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke, MP Andy McDonald, and Charlotte Dinsdale, head of the Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation.
The Building Foundation Fund, established jointly by Sky Bet and EFL, aims to create long-term value for grassroots communities by investing in sports, education, and social projects.
The construction of the project will be carried out in two phases: the first phase includes a hub building, community meeting rooms, social spaces, upgraded 3G pitches and grass pitches, as well as new sports and leisure facilities; the second phase will introduce more features. The center is expected to be operational by early summer 2026.
Kieran Forde, the sponsorship director at Sky Bet, stated: "We are very proud to contribute to the development of the Southlands Community and Sports Centre through the Building Foundation Fund."
Kamara emotionally recalled, "I grew up at the end of the park, and I know the community's passion for sports. This place deserves top-notch venues and facilities."
Meanwhile, Sky Bet has also recently updated its gaming platform, and in another development, the UK High Court has made a ruling in a case involving customer data at Sky Betting & Gaming.
