Taking a cue from Lord's, Indian cricket officials are set to market Eden Gardens in a big way. Among their plans are a cricket museum and a souvenir store.
The makeover for Eden Gardens, among the world's most beautiful stadia, is planned to coincide with the diamond jubilee year of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The repackaging is to be carried out by the Cricket Association of Bengal, whose working committee has sanctioned the proposal.
BCCI president Jagmohan Damiya, who is also the CAB president, wants the new venture christened the 'CAB Centre of Excellence' to be completed by the yearend.
The project will see the building of a museum to house memorabilia from cricketers and memorable matches played at this venue. The museum will also house mementos from West Bengal cricketers from Pankaj Roy down to Sourav Ganguly.
Another plan is to have a souvenir shop inside the stadium, where fans can buy T-shirts, cups, coffee mugs, badges, caps, stickers, pens, etc, all embossed with pictures of the stadium.
"The idea is inspired by Lord's and the Melbourne Cricket Ground," a CAB official said. "Eden Gardens has tremendous potential to be marketed."
A cricket library is also planned inside the clubhouse at Eden Gardens.