By Tom Parsons
April 25 – Cardiff City are looking to expand their 26,828 all-seated stadium to a 35,000 all-seater – and it could be ready in time for the 2014/15 season.
Even before they confirmed their promotion to the money-spinning Premier League, club owner Vincent Tan suggested that a stadium expansion is high on his priorities. In a statement outlining how he would spend his £100m investment, Tan suggested £12m would be used to increase the stadium’s capacity by an extra 8,000 seats.
Club director Steve Borley has now said that this could be achieved as early as August 2014, in time for the 2014/15 season. Borley also confirmed that no Cardiff City Premier League games would be staged at Cardiff’s 74,000-seater Millennium Stadium.
“As construction would involve temporarily removing the ground’s roof, it could only take place during the close season. I would say we start planning it for the 2014/15 season,” sad Borley. He also described the job as a “Meccano job” and although they can’t give a definite number on what the capacity would rise to they “reckon we could get it up to around 35,000”.
The rise in capacity would firstly require planning permission from Cardiff council, but could be worth an extra £4 million per season to the club in ticket revenue.
Cardiff’s South Wales rivals Swansea City have also recently requested planning permission to increase the capacity at their Liberty Stadium – from 22,000 to 33,000 – stemming from their successes in the Premier League and recent League Cup triumph.
League One side AFC Bournemouth, who are celebrating promotion to the Championship, are also looking to expand their Dean Court stadium before the start of the new season. Bournemouth chairman David Mitchell has revealed they plan to build a fourth stand in time for the new season, wanting to add an extra 3-4000 seats. “I would like to think there is every chance to get it ready for the start of the season. We just want to get it done,” he said.
Meanwhile Ryman League club Maidstone United’s brand new Gallagher Stadium have been nominated for an industry award in the Small Venue of the Year category at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2013. The awards, now in their fourth year, recognise achievements from around the world within the stadium industry.
The Gallagher Stadium will be fighting for the award against the Adler-Arena Skating Center (Sochi, Russia); New York Stadium (Rotherham); Netanya Municipal Stadium (Netanya, Israel); Allianz Park (London) and NV Arena (Austria).
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