Owned by the City of Edinburgh Council and managed by the charity, Edinburgh Leisure, this new state-of-the-art community sports facility, will support physical activity, sport, health, and wellbeing in Edinburgh for generations to come, whilst also recognising the legacy and heritage of the old Meadowbank.

The new venue supports accessible participation and has improved indoor facilities including two multi-sport games halls with seating, three fitness studios and a gym with triple the number of exercise stations.

The project team included:

• Contractor – GRAHAM Construction
• Architect – Holmes Miller
• Project management – Thomas and Adamson
• Quantity surveyor – Gardiner and Theobald
• Building services Engineer – RSP
• Structural engineer – AECOM
• Landscape architect – LDA

Edinburgh Leisure’s chief executive, June Peebles, said: “Donald Goldsmith, the manager at Meadowbank, and his team are incredibly excited (as I am) about this much-anticipated opening and are looking forward to welcoming customers old and new to this multi-million-pound investment which will provide countless opportunities for Edinburgh citizens to be active and will undoubtedly contribute to the wellbeing of our city.”

City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day said: “The City of Edinburgh Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We are delighted with the new Meadowbank Sports Centre - I believe it will be one of the best facilities for community and club sport in the country. I hope the fantastic and top-of-the-range facilities will encourage people to get more active and more often. I was very impressed when I was given my first look and I’m confident members old and new will be too.

“Participation and accessibility are at the heart of the centre, and it will bring huge physical, mental, and social benefits to generations of local people for years to come. There is a packed programme of activity and range of classes for all interests and ability. Meadowbank has been an iconic part of the capital’s sporting history and I’m in no doubt that the new Centre will build on this legacy.”

sportscotland contributed £5m to the project.

Chair of sportscotland, Mel Young, said: “Meadowbank Sports Centre has been a sporting and social hub for so many people in the Edinburgh area over the years. Thanks to this incredible £47million refurbishment, people of all ages and abilities will be able to reap the benefits of newly refurbished facilities. The re-opening of Meadowbank will provide the local community with access to a state-of-the-art sport and physical activity centre on their doorstep, creating significant participation opportunities.

“This collaboration between The City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Leisure and sportscotland is a great example of partnership working developing genuine opportunities that will help make sport, and physical activity a way of life for local people.”

The new Meadowbank has much to offer the local community and communities throughout Edinburgh and includes the following facilities:

• An outdoor eight-lane athletics track with a 499-seat stand and outdoor throwing and jumps area
• A 60m six-lane indoor athletics track and jumps space
• Two multi-sport halls with fixed and moveable spectator seating
• A hall for trampolining and dance
• Two fitness studios (capacity – 30 each), which include world-renowned Les Mills programme of classes, smart tech bars and weights
• The fitness class timetable will open with 92 classes
• A Cycle Studio (capacity – 30) with Life Fitness IC7 bikes and ICG myride and Les Mills RPM classes
• A gym with Life Fitness equipment, dumbbells up to 50kg, Watt bikes, SkiErg, row and Cybex SPARC machines (capacity – 90)
• Combined bumped plates weighs in the gym – 2927.5kg
• Combined dumbbell weight in the gym – 1,918kg
• 40+ pieces of resistance and free weights equipment
• Two squash courts
• A combat studio for martial arts
• A boxing gym
• Two 3G (synthetic) pitches, including one with a 499-seat stand
• A hospitality Suite and event-hosting facilities
• Cafe and meeting rooms

Meadowbank has been the home of elite sport in the Scottish capital since the 1930s. The previous Meadowbank Sports Centre was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games and was used by various clubs and sporting celebrities. It hosted two Commonwealth Games in 1970 and 1986.

It has also hosted some large-scale music events over the years, including T on the Fringe, an annual music festival. Muse, My Chemical Romance, Snow Patrol, Radiohead, Pixies, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, Kaiser Chiefs, and Razorlight, all played the venue between 2005 and 2007.

The closure of the venue on 3 December 2017 marked the end of an era and the start a new one as the building was decommissioned to make way for a new sports centre for people in Edinburgh and beyond to enjoy for decades to come.