Manchester United have unveiled plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium at Old Trafford. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirmed his preference for a new-build to replace the 115-year-old home of United on the same site, following the completion of his minority stake deal last February.
Conceptual images and scaled models designed by architect Lord Norman Foster were revealed on Tuesday at Foster + Partners' headquarters in London. The Manchester Evening News previously reported that club figures estimate the cost of a new stadium to be £2billion.
The proposed stadium would be the tallest landmark in Manchester and could even be visible from the outskirts of Liverpool.
Despite losing £300m in the past three years and facing potential breaches of the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules, Ratcliffe believes a new stadium is financeable under the government's plans to regenerate the Trafford Park area, which has already received backing from chancellor Rachel Reeves. It is estimated that the stadium, and wider regeneration project, could deliver an additional £7.3bn per year to the º£½ÇÊÓƵ economy.
United have acquired land around the stadium to expand the footprint if or when they get permission to commence construction. The club owns 100 acres.
A survey of 30,000 fans showed a roughly 50-50 split between those in favour of a new-build and a redevelopment of Old Trafford. Ratcliffe, 72, has previously described Old Trafford as "run-down" and opined that it had "fallen behind the best arenas in world sport", reports .
He 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.
"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."
Mancunian Lord Foster, a Mancunian and a United fan, said designing a new Old Trafford was "one of the most exciting projects in the world today" and called the district a "mixed-use miniature city of the future".
"It all starts with the fans' experience, bringing them closer than ever to the pitch and acoustically cultivating a huge roar. The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square.
"The outward-looking stadium will be the beating heart of a new sustainable district, which is completely walkable, served by public transport, and endowed by nature."
"It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – driving a new wave of growth and creating a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of."
The umbrella would be held up by three masts, one of which would be 200m tall, higher than the Beetham Tower or the Blackpool Tower.
Sir Alex Ferguson, whose £2.1m-a-year ambassadorial role will conclude at the end of this season, has expressed his support for the project. He 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."
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