Jade Stadium renamed AMI Stadium

The Jade Stadium in Christchurch has been renamed AMI Stadium following a new sponsorship deal. The agreement with the insurance company aims to increase the capacity to 43,000 ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted with Australia.

The stadium was originally known as Lancaster Park before Jade bought the naming rights in 1998. AMI and the venue management company Vbase are reportedly getting the community to help come up with a new name for the East Stand.

The venue, which is home to the domestic side Canterbury, has hosted 40 Tests and 43 ODIs. Being a multi-purpose ground like Auckland's Eden Park, it has used drop-in pitches for international matches.