The first phase of a multi-mullion dollar redevelopment of the Atanasio Girardot sportspark in Medellín, Columbia has been completed.

The project has been funded in partnership by Instituto de Deportes y Recreation Medellín INDER (Leisure and Sports Institute Medellín), which contributed US$14m (£8.5m, 9.8m euro) and COL Deporte (Columbian Sports Institute), which invested US$3.8m (£2.3m, 2.7m euro) in the scheme.

The redevelopment of the stadium has been done by Josef Farbiarz, the director and dean of Centro de Proyectos de Investigación Sísmica de la Facultad de Minas -CPIS- (Seismic Research Projects School of Mines.

Work on the stadium included increasing the capacity to 44,500, new lighting by Colombian company Meier, new seating by Colombian firm Manufactura Muñoz and new artificial training space supplied by Colombian PS Sports.

The 10-month project was completed in June and the venue will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup this month (August 2011). Once competition is finished, INDER will manage the facilities of the stadium for the public.

The venue will also be home for the two top light football teams of Medellín, Atlético Nacional and Deportivo Independiente Medellín.

The Atanasio Girardot is in the middle of a four-phase development: stage two will include a business area, restaurants, and two multi-purpose sport courts; stage three will see infrastructure improvements; stage four will add 4,000 parking spaces.

Farbiarz said: "Through this work, Medellin now has a sports arena to match the best in the world. The goal of the master plan is to convert the complex into a tourist attraction".