Stanley Park Stadium

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This article or section is about a planned or proposed stadium.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the stadium approaches.

The new stadium design.

Stanley Park Stadium is a proposed title of the planned football stadium to be built in Stanley Park, Liverpool, England. The stadium was given planning permission in February 2003. The stadium has a planned all-seated capacity of about 61,000. The plans were initiated by Liverpool F.C. to replace its stadium at Anfield and were first announced in May 2002.^[1] At that time the proposed capacity was 55,000 but it was later revised to 61,000. The club had first announced its intention of building a new stadium 18 months earlier. The original idea had been for a 70,000 seat stadium which would cost around £200million and be ready for the 2004-05 season.^[1]

There were attempts by the local council to instigate a groundshare of the stadium with local rivals Everton, but this move was rejected. If the ground was to be shared, the move would not have gone down well with either set of fans. The name Stanley Park Stadium was proposed for the purpose of facilitating a groundshare but Liverpool would prefer to call the new ground New Anfield if it is solely their ground.

The plans, originally approved in February 2005, needed to go before Liverpool City Council for a second time some 12 months later to ensure that the proposed stadium complied with new planning regulations. It was reported on 11 April 2006 that the plans had passed without amendment.

On 8th September 2006 Liverpool FC got the green light from the city council for development on the new 61,000 seater stadium, and were granted a 999 year lease for the site.

[edit] Liverpool FC Takeover Impact

With the takeover of the club by George N. Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks on February 6, 2007 the building of the new stadium looks likely to begin "very soon"^[2] with an estimated investment of £215m for the first phase. New football stadia are commonly named after a commercial sponsor - such as Arsenal's Emirates Stadium - and Liverpool's new stadium looks set to follow this course. When Gillett was asked if he would consider selling the naming rights of the stadium he answered:"If the naming rights are worth one great player a year in transfer spending, we will certainly look at that as a serious option."^[3]

Development of the site is due to begin in May 2007 with construction beginning in July of the same year. The stadium is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008.^[4]

On March 14, 2007, a possibilty of the capacity being increased to 80,000 was reported on. Radio City 96.7.^[5] This was denied by chief executive Rick Parry, however he did hint that more seating will be considered in the review of the stadium, just not to the scale described in the press. News broke on April 2, 2007, that Liverpool had permission off the council to start work and work is now due to begin in May with a completion date of 2009. Rick Parry was quoted as saying the review of capacity is still being undertaken.