Reds owners suspend stadium work
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Liverpool have put preparatory stadium work on hold !
Liverpool's new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have suspended work on their proposed new stadium and ordered a review of the plans.
BBC Sport understands the pair want to examine ways of increasing the 60,000 capacity of the arena in Stanley Park.
Liverpool have targeted 2009 as an opening date for the stadium, but if major changes are made, there would need to be a new planning application.
This could result in a delay, although the original date may yet be met.
Liverpool have yet to confirm the decision to suspend preparatory work on the £215m project, but have revealed a review will be undertaken.
A Liverpool spokesman said:
"There is a total commitment to a new stadium but the new owners are conducting a thorough review of the current proposals, to see if there is any way they can be improved."
BBC Sport believes the club's hierarchy regards the move to commission a review of the plans as a sign of the huge ambition of Gillett and Hicks rather than any move to back away from the original scheme.
Gillett and Hicks are fully behind the project as part of their takeover plan, and it is understood the review will take ''weeks rather than months'', allowing work on any alterations to the original design to get under way as soon as possible.
An increased capacity will be one of the plans under discussion during the review, but this is not a guarantee that this will happen.
Work on the new ground needs to start in the spring because public money has been allocated to the regeneration element of the plan, and it has to be spent by the end of 2008.
Gillett said in early February: "The shovel needs to be in the ground in the next 60 days.
"We are fully supportive of the Stanley Park development and of building a facility that we hope will be the greatest facility in this sport.
"We do work hard on design and development and making sure the quality of the fan experience is unparalleled.
"We want to make sure the newest technology is incorporated in it. It is about the comfort of fans."
And Hicks added: "We have our own people lined up to see if, within the confines of the plans, there are any other ideas that would be good for the fans." -
WHAT THE
but then again..... how huge, the seating capacity to be........ 80,000
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All money talks ....
Bigger stadium means bigger gate receipts .....
Anyway ..... i would be happy The New Anfield can contain 80,000 capacity , that'll be great !
If Anfield 45,000 kops can be electrifying , then ... how about 80,000 kops ? Almost double ?
But hor .... how to get 80,000 for a football match every week ?
Think can la .... -
Apparently , they were discussing a possible standing Kop at certain "safety-zone" , so the discussion is on this available zone .....
I saw some article the new owners listen , so they were considering the most things the Kops wanted , to regain back the standing kop....
they might have heard how great the atmosphere was from the standing kop end ....
I know , cos i've seen the standing kop end , sadly is all from TV . -
frankly, they should go into a joint venture with Everton... get a shared stadium like AC Milan and Inter Milan have...
share the costs of the stadium, share the costs of running the stadium, still have the full revenues of the gates each game...
and they can build a giant stadium too... -
Originally posted by the Bear:frankly, they should go into a joint venture with Everton... get a shared stadium like AC Milan and Inter Milan have...
share the costs of the stadium, share the costs of running the stadium, still have the full revenues of the gates each game...
and they can build a giant stadium too...
Just ask how the 2 Milans feel.. -
San Siro?
they may hate each other but financially, it makes sense..
does the city of Liverpool need 2 huge stadia?Originally posted by Agenda:
Just ask how the 2 Milans feel.. -
Nope. A 60k seat stadium and a 40K seat stadiumOriginally posted by the Bear:San Siro?
they may hate each other but financially, it makes sense..
does the city of Liverpool need 2 huge stadia?
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nah they planning to build a max 72k stadium.Originally posted by SBS9828X:Nope. A 60k seat stadium and a 40K seat stadium
http://forums.liverpoolfc.tv/Forum15/HTML/150890.html
Rebuilding Goodison
By Trevor Skempton : 13/3/07
Despite all the talk of Kirkby and a big one-off cash injection, many of us remain convinced that the best way forward for Everton is through patient incremental development, including realistic long-term plans for developing the team and the academy, a business plan that seeks sustainable growth rather than a ‘big bang’, and the gradual redevelopment of Goodison Park to incorporate long-term dreams of it becoming (once again) one of the best stadiums in the world, eclipsing the dull symmetrical bowls of the ‘Emirates’ or the ‘New Anfield’.
The financial investment would flow from the supporters (both those who attend games and the many who don't), through the long-term business plan, without relying on either ‘sugar daddies’ or public sector hand-outs.
Like others, I have argued for this approach on many occasions over recent years (based on experience of successful stadium developments elsewhere). The following is a short extract from a long illustrated paper, which I circulated to friends and colleagues in January. It assumes that Everton require an initial capacity of at least 48,000 (which would then be the minimum to be maintained through subsequent building phases), with the potential to expand this to an ultimate figure of 72,000. The options described below have been evaluated with these standards and figures in mind.
1. The ‘minimum option’
No change is not an option, but the first suggestion explores what can be achieved within the present footprint. It includes the car park behind the Park End Stand. It also includes Bullens Road, although this option does not require the demolition of any properties. Three tiers of ‘sky-boxes’ are proposed at the back of the Upper Bullens Stand and spanning the Gwladys Street stand, the latter sufficiently far forward to avoid further overshadowing of the street behind. These ‘sky-boxes’ would be part of a new roof structure that would eliminate the obstructed views from the upper tiers. The lower tiers would be reconfigured to remove the worst of the obstructed views without detracting from the valuable historic character of Archibald Leitch’s designs.
Thus restored and extended upwards, the Gwladys Street and Bullens Road stands could gain iconic status in world football and could be a fitting home to an International Museum of Stadium Design.
A new Upper Park End would be the maximum possible on the site, estimated at 7,000 assuming enhanced ‘premium’ space standards. Allowing for 2,000 seats in the Gwladys Street and Bullens Road sky boxes but a loss of 1,000 seats in the re-design of the lower tiers, this would give a total capacity of 48,000.
A well-designed new Park Stand would be an appropriate immediate response to the building of the ‘New Anfield’ and could incorporate car parking (possibly a weekday park-and-ride facility) and commercial activity, with a landmark tower (possibly a hotel) on the corner of Walton Lane. It would be financed directly from the extra season tickets and lounge accommodation, on the reasonable assumption that there is a demonstrable demand for 8,000 extra (unobstructed and premium quality) seats at Goodison.
2. The ‘arcade option’
This is an expansion of the ‘minimum’ solution, which includes forming an ‘arcade’ over Goodison Road, allowing a re-building of the Main Stand to improve seating space standards, lounges and other facilities, and to remove obstructed views. The capacity would rise to 52,000, with more than half of these at the ‘premium’ standard. Building over the full width of Bullens Road would allow for improved facilities and would require the demolition of 13 houses (7 on Muriel Street and 4 on Diana Street).
3. The ‘south-east corner option’
This includes new stands above and behind the present Bullens Road and Park End Stands, with ‘sky boxes’ above Gwladys Street, a commercial tower on the corner of Walton Lane and car parking under the new Park End Stand. The school could be redesigned around an enclosed garden and enjoy a ‘partnership’ with some of the stadium facilities. Bullens Road would be widened and moved eastwards, requiring the demolition of 40 terraced houses. The capacity would be 55,000
4. The ‘horseshoe option’
This is the maximum proposed expansion of the stadium site, with the main stand being reconstructed in scale with the new Park End and Bullens Road stands. It allows for long-term consolidation of the surrounding streets and the removal of future uncertainty and consequent blight. The total number of terraced houses to be demolished is 70. The new capacity would be 63,000.
5. The ‘maximum option’
This is a development of the ‘horseshoe’ to include a sliding roof and extra side tiers over arcades, bringing the capacity up to 72,000. This could be the best football ground in the world, and it would incorporate important elements of the historic character of Goodison. It may be a dream, but it is not unrealistic, if embedded within a consistent long-term plan with many phases.