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Sports Facilities (sports + facility)
Selected AbstractsSize and phenotypic structure of microbial communities within soil profiles in relation to different playing areas on a UK golf courseEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008M. D. Bartlett Summary Amenity turf accounts for up to 4% of land-use in urban areas, providing key refuges for both above- and below-ground biodiversity. Golf courses occupy the largest surface area of all sports facilities; however, only a limited amount of microbial ecology has been carried out to investigate differences in the size and structure of microbial communities of the soil. The soil microbial community is a key agent in nutrient cycling and delivery of other ecosystem goods and services; however, there has been little work focused on amenity turf ecosystems in the UK. A study of soil microbial community size and structure, on the range of playing areas maintained for the game of golf at a single golf course in relation to depth through the soil profile, was carried out. Soil from different playing areas showed significant differences in the size (measured using chloroform fumigation extraction) of the microbial community (P < 0.01), with a greater concentration of microbial biomass at 0,75 mm from the surface, compared with deeper zones (P < 0.01). Principal component analysis of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers indicated that the community structure was significantly different at 0,75 mm from the surface on all areas of the golf course investigated (P < 0.05, in all cases). The PLFA biomarkers consistently associated with such discrimination were 16:0 and 18:1,9 c. These findings suggest that there is a consistently larger and similarly structured microbial community associated with the surface thatch layer, commonly found in amenity turf. [source] BEYOND THE ECONOMIC CATALYST DEBATE: CAN PUBLIC CONSUMPTION BENEFITS JUSTIFY A MUNICIPAL STADIUM INVESTMENT?JOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 5 2007CHARLES A. SANTO ABSTRACT:,A host of empirical studies have indicated that stadiums and arenas have no significant impact on metropolitan area income or employment. In light of this evidence, the continued proliferation of public investment in sports facilities begs the question: Is there some other justification for this spending, or are policymakers simply acting against the public interest (either irrationally, or in response to political-economic influences)? A possibility that has not been fully explored is the notion that stadiums and teams generate tangible and intangible consumption benefits that could support some level of public investment. This research builds on a small foundation of literature that is moving discussion beyond the economic catalyst debate by providing an empirical measure of the consumption benefits that accrue to a region as the result of hosting a major league sports team. A contingent valuation survey is used to quantify the consumption benefits that would be associated with the relocation of a major league baseball team to Portland, Oregon. An empirical measure of the region's aggregate willingness to pay for the benefits associated with hosting a team is disaggregated into option and existence values, which can then be compared to any proposed level of public contribution to a new stadium. The findings indicate that consumption benefits would only support a capital investment of approximately $74 million; a figure far smaller than the typical stadium subsidy. The majority of projected benefits are associated with expected public goods and externalities, rather than anticipated attendance, indicating that an equitable financing plan should employ nonuser revenue sources. The level of projected benefits does not vary by locality within the metropolitan area, which argues for a regional cost-sharing approach. The willingness of residents to pay for stadium construction is tempered by a concern about other pressing social needs in the Portland area and a reaction to the current tax climate. [source] An Experimental Test of the Theory of Planned BehaviorAPPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 2 2009Falko Sniehotta The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is one of the leading theories of health behavior, yet supporting evidence is exclusively based on correlational research. This study aims to test the TPB experimentally. N = 579 participants were randomised to receive persuasive messages addressing salient beliefs elicited in a pilot study, following a 2*2*2 factorial design. Participants were randomised to a behavioral-belief-intervention (BBI) or not, a normative-belief-intervention (NBI) or not, and a control-belief-intervention (CBI) or not. The primary outcome was objectively recorded attendance at university sports facilities over 2 months; and the secondary outcomes were post-intervention TPB measures. Main effects of the BBI on attitudes and of the NBI on subjective norm, PBC, attitudes, and intentions were found. The CBI did not alter post-intervention cognitions, but was the only intervention to change behavior not mediated by cognitions. While the findings support the TPB's assumptions on intention formation, behavior change results are not in line with the theory and therefore further question the TPB's leading role in behavioral science. [source] Many Hands, Much Politics, Multiple Risks , The Case of the 2008 Beijing Olympics StadiumAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 2010Yu Wen Liu Not only one of the world's most remarkable sports facilities but also the first Public-Private Partnership sport facility in China, the National Stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games has drawn much attention, received much help, produced much political debate and experienced multiple risks during its development and construction. But, at last, it was completed in time with good quality and at a reasonable cost. It played an important role in facilitating the success of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games, giving an indelible impression to the world. This article reviews issues that arose during the stadium's development and construction and considers the risks encountered and lessons drawn. The construction and management arrangement was widely considered to be a public-private partnership, but it is important to note that the so-called private side consisted of a mix of public, blended public-private and fully private organisations. [source] Titanic Town: Sport, Space and the Re-imag(in)ing of BelfastCITY & SOCIETY, Issue 2 2006ALAN BAIRNER This article discusses the extent to which Belfast's sporting spaces are implicated in a process whereby the city has been transformed since the cessation of widespread political violence. The discussion takes readers to the city's traditional sporting venues, comments on the relationship between sporting spaces and urban regeneration and assesses the extent to which, if at all, Belfast can become a "winning city" by virtue of its new and proposed sports facilities. Particular attention is paid to the concept of public space with reference to the Odyssey Arena and the planned national stadium. It is argued that for a variety of reasons, it is unlikely that Belfast can be transformed into a mecca for sports enthusiasts. The evidence upon which this conclusion is based is largely drawn from the author's personal ethnographic reading of the city and its people. [Northern Ireland, Belfast, sports, ethnic conflict, public space] [source] | ||||||||||