Cardiff City Football Club and Cardiff Blues are delighted to announce that they have signed a detailed agreement for use of the new stadium at Leckwith.

Peter Ridsdale Cardiff City Chairman said:

"On behalf of Cardiff City Football Club I am delighted that an agreement has been reached whereby Cardiff Blues will use the new stadium at Leckwith as their home ground."

"This arrangement makes total sense to everyone in professional sport both in and outside the city of Cardiff. Our new stadium will be something that everyone in the city of Cardiff will be proud of, and this agreement ensures that professional sport within the city and indeed far beyond can be seen to be prospering side by side.

"Supporters of both teams will enjoy facilities that in the past can have only been dreamt of."

Speaking at the launch of the new stadium link up, Peter Thomas Cardiff Blues Chairman said:

"We are delighted to have reached an agreement with our fellow professional team here in our capital city."

"The new stadium will provide first class facilities for rugby and football supporters, sponsors, shareholders and players alike."

"Families, younger fans, and disabled visitors from throughout the land will all benefit from watching top class sport in a state of the art stadium."

"I have no doubt that the new stadium will be the springboard to success for both teams for many years to come,"

The leader of Cardiff Council, Councillor Rodney Berman, welcomed the announcement and said it was fitting that Cardiff's premier football and rugby teams would be playing in the city's newest stadium.

"I'm pleased that the teams have come together and reached this historic agreement," he said.

"It's clearly significant that top flight rugby will be moving from the Arms Park, however this arrangement will benefit everyone concerned. The players and supporters of both teams will enjoy improved facilities and support which they deserve.

"This co-operation between two of our leading sporting teams is something the council has been keen to see for some time as it should place the new stadium on an even sounder financial footing. It has taken some time for the agreement to be brokered but I am delighted that both teams have now formally recognised the benefits it will bring to both of them."

BACKGROUND TO INCLUDE:

The new stadium is part of a wider redevelopment of the area around Ninian Park, which will include a new athletics stadium, a retail park, a multi-purpose House of Sport, the new Glamorgan Records office, the Field Project (a learning facility by the Cardiff charitable trust Vision 21) and a 1500-space park and ride facility for weekday commuters, and for visitors on big city centre event days. The plans also include improvements to the streetscape and parking facilities in nearby Canton.