Man Utd share 1st images of stadium regen plans

Manchester United have revealed the first images of the potential Old Trafford regeneration project.

ESPN reported last month that United are leaning towards building a new 100,000-capacity stadium rather than redeveloping Old Trafford, although a final decision has not been made.

The club are expected to make a call on the stadium project by the end of the year. ESPN previously reported that it is likely to last six years and is set to cost more than £2 billion ($2.5 billion).

Building a new stadium on surrounding land is the option favoured by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the project task force, which includes Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham and former club captain Gary Neville.

On Monday, United shared the first images of what the new project could conceivably look like. The images were part of a press release an economic report that the club has commissioned showed that the new stadium could add £7.3 billion per year to the UK’s economy.

Burnham, speaking at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, insisted that no public money will be spent on United’s plans for revamping the stadium. Instead, taxpayer’s money could be used to move a freight rail terminal behind the stadium that would free up land for redevelopment.

“They won’t have to have the freight disruption,” Burnham said. “What that then does is free up the space around Old Trafford so the club is able to have all of its options looked at and has the biggest possible footprint to use so it can bring forward the most ambitious regeneration.

“We hope it’s the best football stadium in the world, which brings benefits to residents around it.”