MANCHESTER CITY have provided an update on their £300million stadium expansion.
Work is well underway on a project that will see the Etihad Stadium become a 61,470-seater venue.
Originally built for the Commonwealth Games in 2002, the club made the switch from Maine Road to the City of Manchster Stadium a year later.
It currently has a capacity of 53,600 and is the 7th-largest football stadium in England.
Ambitious plans are set to see that capacity soar over the 60,000-mark.
City are adding a huge new tier to their North Stand, with the extension due to open for the 2025/26 season.
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The renovation will see the create of an incredible Sky Bar, which will have premium seating for 450.
As well as development inside the ground, there’s a host of new areas being created in the renovations.
City are building a new City Square Fanzone, club museum, City Store, and a mammoth 400-bed hotel.
These new projects will take slightly longer and are due to be finishing in late 2026.
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City’s Director of Infrastructure and Development Ed Dalton said: “Work is progressing at pace.
“The project is split into four different sections.
“We have the North Stand development, the hotel, a commercial wing, and the covered fan zone from City Square.
“Over the summer and winter months, we’ve completed all ground works.
“We did as much work as we could during the close season to minimise disruption to fans.”
What will happen to Man City?
MAN CITY began the season as favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.
Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….
Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?
Lipton: Yes…. probably! It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.
Custis: Why is that?
Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.
But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.
I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.
Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.
The project is part of a £300m investment into East Manchester.
It is hoped that 2,600 jobs will be created in the process.
City last expanded the Etihad back in 2014.
They added a third tier to the South Stand, increasing the capacity from 47,400 to 55,100 seats.
City have also announced plans to “create a legacy by establishing new pathways for the next generation of Manchester City fans to enjoy matches”.
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That is expected to mean the club will set aside a number of tickets for fans under the age of 21.
Meanwhile, neighbours United received a boost in their bid to build a £2billion, 100,000-seater stadium after the government backed the proposed project.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
