Manchester United co-owners INEOS have outlined plans to revamp Trafford Park with the stadium in the centre of a project worth over £7.3 billion to the United Kingdom’s economy, according to the Daily Mail.
United recently announced Foster + Partners as lead architects for the project and revealed the first pictures of what the arena would look like.
The Reds are looking to erect a 100,000 venue at the centre of this fantastic project and brought in Oxford Economics to analyse the fiscal impact.
Oxford Economics predicted that the plan would bring about massive growth, delivering over 92,000 new jobs and 19,000 new homes while boosting tourism numbers.
INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe will reportedly not ask for public funds to finance the project. However, he wants a public-private partnership to address broader issues such as infrastructure and transport.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and former United defender Gary Neville visited the Labour Party conference in Liverpool today to present a model and an exhibition of the project.
They announced that the project could see them build a new £2bn stadium or revamp Old Trafford, bolstering United’s home down to the BBC’s MediaCity.
“What you have here is huge potential to fix the rail system of the north-west of England,” Burnham said.
“It’s an incredible opportunity right in front of us, and Manchester United have created the catalyst to try and realise all these benefits.
“I think Manchester United has one of those most powerful voices in the world even though it’s just a football club, as crazy as that sounds,” Neville added.
“The impact Manchester United should make on and off the pitch should be significant, and this is the start of it.
“I’ve been pulling my hair out for the last 10 to 12 years, thinking 20 years ago, Manchester United had the best stadium in the world, the best training ground in the world, and one of the best teams in world football.
“Obviously, there has been a demise from that, but the new ownership coming in has proved to be a catalyst for what we can change.”
Man United fans deserve a world-class stadium that meets the standard of modern grounds such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The players need facilities with cutting-edge equipment that gives them a tactical and physical advantage over their domestic and European counterparts.