Plans for the Etihad Stadium

Why did they start a project?

The Etihad Stadium opened its doors in 2003, which means the stadium is still brand-new and hypermodern. Because of this, many wonder why an entire project regarding Etihad Stadium has started. The most important reason is that the popularity and the success of Manchester City increases every season. The capacity of the stadium cannot meet the demand for match tickets. That’s why they wish to turn the stadium into the second largest stadium in England. The stadium is not the only facility that will undergo constructions; many changes will occur around the stadium, as well. Manchester City wants the Etihad Stadium to be the centre of a recreation area. Many meetings were held in March in which locals and fans could express their feelings and ideas about the plans. After incorporating the feedback into the plans, the locals and fans agreed to execute them. It is now up to the city council to tie the knot...

Financing the project

It has been known that Manchester City is one of the richest clubs in the world for a while now. The reason for this is that the club was taken over by rich Arabs a few years back, just like Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain. The Abu Dhabi United Group took the club over in 2008, to be exact. This institution invested 185 million euros in the club and Man City is almost financially independent now, since The Citizens earn around 450 million euros a year. It’s unlikely that this will change any time soon, while super star Erling Haaland plays in the club’s jersey, so the club decided to invest exuberantly. Manchester City sets 340 million euros aside for the renovation of the Etihad Stadium and the construction of the large recreation park surrounding it. The club expects to finish the project in three years.

What will it look like?

As mentioned earlier, plans in relation to the project of turning the Etihad Stadium and surroundings into one large entertainment area have already been made. If the city council agrees to the plan, what will happen precisely?

The stadium

Manchester City wants to modernise and expand the stadium. In order to increase the capacity, the club wants to implement a new ring on the North Stand. They also intend to build a sky bar in the stadium in which you’ll get an amazing view of the ptich. To make the stadium even more attractive to visitors, they’re thinking of creating a way that allows guests to visit the roof of the stadium. This will be called the ‘roof walk experience’.

Surroundings of stadium

Besides renewing the stadium, the club wants to build a square intended for Manchester City fans. 3000 supporters will be able to enjoy some food and drinks before and after the match. A new fan shop, club museum and hotel will be built adjacent to the square. This gives supporters the opportunity to be accommodated nearby the stadium. Moreover, fans will have plenty to do around the stadium on both matchdays and non-matchdays.

Would you like to know what the Etihad Stadium and its surroundings will look like after agreement to the plan? Have a look at the video below!