Fans must wait on new Anfield plans

[Jayesh87]

Fans must wait on new Anfield plans

Sep 15 2006

By Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo


REDS fans must wait until the end of the month to find out if Liverpool FC's stadium plans will go ahead.

European officials set a deadline of today for the club to confirm if it could afford its £180m share of the New Anfield scheme.

But the fate of a £10m grant to breath new life into the community of Anfield - to be topped up with £5m from the North West Development Agency - will not be revealed until September 28.

None of those involved in the negotiations are commenting on the funding situation until after that deadline.

But the ECHO understands senior officials have grave concerns about whether Liverpool can afford their share - and one top NWDA source admitted: "The silence is deafening."

The European Objective One programme - which distributes European cash to needycommunities on Merseyside - will take until September 28 to assess whether the club's finances are in place.

If it decides the Reds cannot afford their share of a 55,000-seater ground, the European cash will be given to another worthy cause.

That would then cast doubt on the future of the £210m scheme; Liverpool council would be unlikely to allow a stadium to be built without the surrounding area being regenerated.

The proposed work includes the creation of shop-lined Anfield Plaza on the current ground site and the restoration of the rest of Stanley Park.

A spokesman for Objective One said: "The projects committee will make a decision on the funding application for New Anfield on September 28 on the evidence made available to it.

"Wewill not offer any comment on the application until a decision is reached."

Last week, senior councillors agreed a 999-year lease on the section of Stanley Park required by the club, paving the way for the stadium to be built.

Campaigners were last night hoping to overturn their decision at a council scrutiny committee meeting and held a protest outside the Millennium House offices.

But the committee rubber-stamped last week's verdict that the lease should be granted, despite claims from some residents that the area would be swamped by traffic generated by fans and tourists.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...name_page.html

[blacky]

And the Saga continues..............................

[paulcooper4]

I see its dropped back down to 55000 now. If thats the case, I think its a waste of time completely spending 210 million squid on an extra 10000 seats. For that outlay, it would want to be at LEAST 60000 for it to be worth the arse. I say throw a lick of paint over anfield

[Resu]

But this whole story comes from LFC not saying anything. The club is very tight these days, so it might not be anything.
The club could be working on different options on raising the cash, some better the others, and will not make a statement until it`s finalised.

[dom9]

I see its dropped back down to 55000 now. If thats the case, I think its a waste of time completely spending 210 million squid on an extra 10000 seats. For that outlay, it would want to be at LEAST 60000 for it to be worth the arse. I say throw a lick of paint over anfield

I don't think the capacity has changed. That would involve a re-design. It must be a mistake in the article.

[Jayesh87]

Parry says:

We are delighted that Liverpool city council has now formally given us permission to build our proposed new 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park.

Council leaders approved a 999-year lease for the site last Friday and that's another big hurdle cleared. Of course, we already had formal planning permission for our project.

This was the council getting up to speed on their side in terms of making the park available. It's an important step although it's not the final hurdle. It doesn't mean the bulldozers are suddenly going to appear, but it's another significant milestone in what has been a lengthy process. We now move forward to another meeting at the end of September and will endeavour to keep fans informed as to the latest situation.

[paulcooper4]

Parry says:

We are delighted that Liverpool city council has now formally given us permission to build our proposed new 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park.

Council leaders approved a 999-year lease for the site last Friday and that's another big hurdle cleared. Of course, we already had formal planning permission for our project.

This was the council getting up to speed on their side in terms of making the park available. It's an important step although it's not the final hurdle. It doesn't mean the bulldozers are suddenly going to appear, but it's another significant milestone in what has been a lengthy process. We now move forward to another meeting at the end of September and will endeavour to keep fans informed as to the latest situation.

ok, youve just pissed all over my original argument. build the ****ing thing then

[blacky]

As always Rick manages to make a statement about our multi million pound stadium without a mention of the funding!!!

[Mumsafan]

We are always quiet when things are happening and we rarely mention money. It's always been like this....why do you lot think we'll change?

[enema of the state]

why doesnt someone just log on to kt and ask zico

seriously, expect the full funding to be in place just in time

[Alex]

You think this wait is bad! in colchester the team here has been trying to get a new stadium for the past 25 years! Always gets to the money point, then collapses!

[univofchicago]

Parry says:

We are delighted that Liverpool city council has now formally given us permission to build our proposed new 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park.

Ah! It's back to 60,000 now!

[Fagan]

Tim on the song site just told me this when i asked about how many corporate boxes are going to be in the new stadium. "I think it will be 64 boxes holding about 640 people. Then another 6,500 executive seats".
When you take this into account i can't see why the club couldn't afford to build using loans in the short term. Don't forget that the sky money is about to increase and sponsorship deals could be in the pipe line also, I personally think that the 28th is going to be a good day for LFC.

[REDSCOUSER]

****sake this stadium saga is never ending, It's really gettin' on me wick.

[rushscored4]

I see its dropped back down to 55000 now. If thats the case, I think its a waste of time completely spending 210 million squid on an extra 10000 seats. For that outlay, it would want to be at LEAST 60000 for it to be worth the arse. I say throw a lick of paint over anfield

Lazy journalism again. It's still 60,000 which I think is about right...

Tim on the song site just told me this when i asked about how many corporate boxes are going to be in the new stadium. "I think it will be 64 boxes holding about 640 people. Then another 6,500 executive seats".
When you take this into account i can't see why the club couldn't afford to build using loans in the short term. Don't forget that the sky money is about to increase and sponsorship deals could be in the pipe line also, I personally think that the 28th is going to be a good day for LFC.

I think they will use future ticket sales as part of a finance arrangement probably alongside the naming rights of the new stadium. Look out for "the Carslberg Anfield Stadium" or "the LG Anfield Arena" or similar...

****sake this stadium saga is never ending, It's really gettin' on me wick.

Ashburton Grove (the Emirates Stadium) has taken 7 years to build and look at Wembley...