October 4 – St James’ Park, home of Newcastle United since 1892, is widely recognized as one of the most atmospheric football stadiums worldwide.
This magnificent ancient arena is falling behind in the fight to capture the upscale match day experience and meet the rising demand for tickets as state-of-the-art stadiums spring up all across Europe.
This week, the club held a meeting with supporters to go over future plans for the stadium.
The club has two possibilities in mind. One is a plan to expand St. James’ Park to incorporate the Gallowgate End and the East Stand, which would allow the stadium to hold more than 60,000 spectators. Modernizing the Leazes End and the Millburn stand are two other tactics. Since they were constructed more than 20 years ago, those two stadium zones are out of date.
Another option for updating the “Cathedral on the Hill” is to construct a whole new building on the space that Leazes Park already occupies.
Newcastle United would remain in the center of the city with this transfer, but it would come at a far higher cost—between £2 and $3 billion.
Newcastle’s selection as one of the host cities for Euro 2028 puts even more pressure on the decision-making process. Renovations or new building at the stadium would need to start relatively soon since Newcastle might lose its status as a host site if it is unable to meet UEFA’s strict stadium requirements.
Peter Silverstone, the chief commercial officer, and Brad Miller, the chief operational officer of the Magpies, mingled with fans at a fan advisory board meeting. “I would like to thank supporters for their patience as we conduct this crucial phase of the feasibility process. This is an exciting but extremely complex project,” Miller remarked.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia and the RB Sports and Media Group are the current owners of the Magpies, an investment group with substantial financial resources. Nevertheless, even seemingly limitless riches has a threshold that makes one’s breath catch.
READ MORE ON:https://sportip.co.uk/