By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
July 15 – Milton Keynes Dons will begin developing stadium:mk even if England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup fails, the club’s chairman Pete Winkelman has confirmed.
The stadium was controversially chosen by England 2018 as one of 17 stadiums who will potentially host matches if FIFA awards the World Cup to the country.
The Dons chairman has set himself a deadline of 12 months to get “phase two” of the stadium’s redevelopment underway, with the priority of finishing the second tier of seating as it begins to move towards its eventual target of doubling the 22,000 capacity.
There are also plans to build an arena next to stadium:mk that will host concerts and conferences and also be the new home for MK Lions, who play in the British Basketball League.
Winkelman said: ”I would like to think that this time next year, all this work will be under way.
“If in December we are awarded the World Cup, we will have to put on a third tier, but all of the rest of the work is regardless of whether we get chosen.”
Winkelman admitted, though, that finding the money to finance the project is proving a difficult task in the current economic climate.
The arena is key to MK Dons’ development, Winkelman believes.
He said: “I’m desperately trying to put together all the deals and funding to allow me to finish phase two and to finish the arena.
“It’s a key part of our business plan.
“All of those concerts that we have to go to London to see will come here, and that’s a big tick box for me.
“For the last two years we’ve been fighting to get to this stage, and to have opened the hotel, but I am left disappointed that we have not been able to start on the arena.
“But we’re working to get the ball rolling, but everything is proving to be as hard as it can be.
“We have a lot of support for what we are trying to do here in MK and we want to get it done for the people here.”
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