December 13 – Manchester City is looking at plans to increase the capacity of the Etihad stadium to 60,000 as well as boost facilities around the stadium footprint.
The club said “it is undertaking feasibility studies to develop a best-in-class fan experience and a year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium”.
City Football Group says that since 2008 it has overseen more than £700 million of investment into the Etihad Campus and East Manchester. No figure has been put on expanding the stadium from its current 54,000 capacity, or the development of surrounding facilities.
A series of feasibility studies are being undertaken that the club said “are aligned with the Eastlands Regeneration Framework and an ambition to develop East Manchester into a world-leading sport, leisure, and entertainment destination. A core principle of this is to ensure that Etihad Campus facilities are a significant source of community, employment, and economic opportunity for the local community and Manchester.”
CFG said its investment in facilities to date “has already supported thousands of jobs”, including at the City Football Academy, the Connell Co-op College, the Manchester Institute of Health & Performance, and Co-op Live, the UK’s biggest and most sustainable arena that will open this month.
The club said that if the projects go-ahead, focus will be on local recruitment and local supply chain policies.
Design concepts are expected to be released in early 2023 with fans and the local community being invited to provide their feedback.
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