Manchester United unveils plans to build a brand new 100,000-seater stadium

United’s minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been the driving force behind creating a ‘Wembley of the north’.
The project is expected to cost £2billion and Ratcliffe has secured government backing to regenerate the area around United’s current Old Trafford home.
United’s plans of building a new stadium received a major boost in January when the proposal received the backing of the government.
It is estimated the redevelopment of the Trafford Park area could boost the UK economy by as much as £7.3bn.
The new-look Trafford Park complex would boast a major transport hub as well as dedicated premises for sports, residential, entertainment, business as well as an education campus.
Crucially, the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force claimed their plans to re-shape the area would create more than 90,000 employment opportunities.
The taskforce, created by Ratcliffe, consists of former United skipper Gary Neville, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Trafford Council leader Sara Todd.
On Tuesday, conceptual images and scaled models of what the new stadium and surrounding area could look like were unveiled by Foster + Partners, the architecture group appointed to design the stadium district.
Construction could take up to seven years meaning it would be ready for 2032, but Ratcliffe wants it done as fast of possible and is targeting an ambitious timescale of five years.
Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, said: “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home.

The new stadium in Manchester will have three pillars and has been called an ‘umbrella’ design

“Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment not just during the construction phase but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete.

“The Government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance.”

Omar Berrada, chief executive of Manchester United, said: “Our long-term objective as a club is to have the world’s best football team playing in the world’s best stadium. We are grateful for the feasibility work done by the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force exploring options for the future of Old Trafford.

“We have carefully considered its findings, together with the views of thousands of fans and local residents and concluded that a new stadium is the right way forward for Manchester United and our surrounding community. We will now embark on further consultation to ensure that fans and residents continue to be heard as we move towards final decisions.”

United have played at Old Trafford for 114 years after the stadium was opened in 1910.

Old Trafford has not been great at dealing with rain in recent years
Should the new stadium get build it would be the biggest attendance in a UK stadium, with London’s Wembley Stadium currently in the lead with a capacity of 90,000 spectators.

Calls for a new stadium for United have grown in recent years as Old Trafford’s age began to show whenever it rained.

Images of water cascading down between the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the East Stand after United’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal in May last year went viral as a waterfall was created.

Water was also seen flowing down the steps of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.

Not even United manager Ruben Amorim was safe from leaks in Old Trafford, as his press conference following a loss to Bournemouth in December was interrupted by water leaking through the ceiling.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who has a stand named after him at the current Old Trafford, said: “Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in.

“Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me personally, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made.”

Source: TalkSport