THE FINISHING touches are being completed to Albion’s £100 million stadium in readiness for their Premier League bow.

The American Express Community Stadium has undergone £6 million of improvements in just 13 weeks to make sure it is ready for the club’s return to the top-flight after 34 years away.

In total 24 separate pieces of work have been carried out over a busy summer to improve the club’s already award-winning stadium.

Executive director Martin Perry told The Argus of the great sense of pride and achievement felt by the club as they prepare to host their first Premier League game on Saturday.

He said: “It has been as big a challenge as when we built the stadium, we have had work going on in lots of different parts of the stadium.”

Fan excitement and anticipation ahead of Saturday’s big game is more than matched within the club, including the executive director who has been instrumental in the Seagulls rise.

Mr Perry said: “It’s huge, especially when you think about all we have been through and what we have achieved together with the fans, with the board and for Tony Bloom who has done so much for this football club.

“When Manchester City and Albion step out on to that pitch, it will be absolutely unbelievable, it will be a dream come true. I almost can’t put it into words what it will feel like.

“We always said this was a big club. And we have proved it.

“Some people queried why we needed a 22,000 stadium when we built it, they said 10,000 would be big enough, but on Saturday every one of the 30,000 seats will be taken which just proves everything we said.”

Premier League rules required the club to build a second TV studio over the summer. It is still under construction in the South East corner of the ground and is expected to be ready in time for the club’s second home game against West Bromwich Albion on September 9.

An outside broadcast compound has also been built to accommodate the huge trucks which major TV stations will bring.

Media interest in the club has exploded. Broadcasters from Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands and Australia have all been at The Amex this week to get a taste of the pre-Premier League atmosphere.

Journalists from ESPN Brazil, African and Middle East broadcaster beIN Sports, French-language SFR Sports, Optus from Australia and the US giant NBC will all be there on Saturday.

Seven interview rooms around the players’ tunnel, the press conference room re-orientated to accommodate 70 journalists and a new press box for overseas journalists up in the gods of the Upper West Stand have all been added.

Alongside the new studio will be the club’s 11th hospitality suite, which has already been snapped up.

Mr Perry said: “There was a lot of interest in it and they’ve already been in and seen it and they love it.”

Advertising revenue will increase significantly with the raised profile of the Premier League, all new digital advertising displays have been installed around the ground with new digital boards added to upper tier locations.

The PA systems and Wi-Fi have been upgraded, 30 miles (48 km ) of cabling has been installed for 33 hard-wired camera positions. Top broadcasters will be bringing more than 20 cameras, including a drone, to games to show Albion action from all angles.

Cameras have also been installed to ensure that Hawkeye technology will be able to judge contentious goal line calls in an instant.

In the East Stand, a new lounge for players and managers has been built with the old lounge transformed into The Goldstone Restaurant.

The restaurant has around 120 covers – slightly smaller than the Harry Bloom restaurant which opened last summer.

Mr Perry said: “Its all about the fan experience, to make it a day out for the fans. To come in beforehand, to enjoy the game and then want to come back and do it all again.”

The number of floodlights has increased from 46 to 206 with all new LED lights fitted into the stand arches.

The upgrade is again in response to league requirements to give sufficient luminosity for the Ultra HD quality which the Seagulls’ games will be broadcast in around the globe.

Mr Perry said: “As part of the new TV deal which began last year, one of the requirements was that lighting would be substantially increased as it is broadcast to 200 countries.

“Which is only fair when you consider the increase in the value of the contract. When we built the stadium six years ago, it was built pretty much to Premier League requirements but the new TV deal last year has been a real step change so we’ve had to get on with a lot of work.

“The lights ensure there is even coverage across the pitch. They come in an angled position when they are delivered so you won’t have long shadows across the pitch.When it comes to evening games, fans at the stadium will notice a difference.”

The club saw a massive 40 per cent increase on its record club shop sales at Sunday’s high-profile friendly with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

Mr Perry said: “We have been absolutely delighted with the reaction from fans. We just know the fans are looking forward to it as much as we are and that interest is being felt throughout the club in ticket sales, in retail sales, in absolutely everything.

“I’m sure the sales in the concourses will be very good on Saturday. Harvey’s have been delivering the beer, Jo at Piglet’s has been up from 5am making the pies. It’s great to have them with us throughout the journey, Piglet’s were just a deli in Shoreham and now they have a factory in Worthing.”