-Anupa Perera- "The Cabinet has approved the lease of the Premadasa Stadium to the Cricket Board for a 30 year period for an annual lease rental of two million rupees," Cabinet spokesperson and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, told journalists last week.
The lease arrangement was prompted by a lack of maintenance by owners the Sports Ministry, with the Cricket Board stepping in anyway to overhaul the grounds before international matches.
"We have to do nearly Rs.20 25 million worth of repairs on the R. Premadasa stadium, for an international match," Upali Seneviratne, Finance Manager for SLCB, told LBO on Monday.
Under the new arrangement, income from international matches will now be routed to the Cricket Board. "We already have the same arrangement for the Galle International Stadium," Seneviratne said.
The Galle and Welagedara stadiums, owned by local municipal councils, have also been leased to SLCB for 33 ye