Proposal for Liverpool and Everton to share ‘Siamese Stadia’

www.smartstadia.com

Liverpool and Everton could build back-to-back new stadiums, according to amazing new proposals.

Mersey Stadia-Connex group, who are behind the idea, claim the design could save the clubs between £180m-£220m, while allowing them their own separate new grounds.

The blueprint proposes a 60,000-seater ground for Liverpool and a 50,000 capacity for Everton, to be completed as soon as 2013. The clubs would share a 10-story spine that includes a 300-bed hotel, hospitality facilities, 150 executive boxes and a huge underground car park with 1,350 spaces. The central spine entrance features an atrium and hotel tower extending four storeys above the stadium roof. Around 200 of the 300 hotel bedrooms face the pitch, and also twins as excutive boxes with balconies.

A spokesman from Mersey Stadia-Connex said: "We need to reach the prospective new owners of Liverpool FC to inform them about this sensational investment opportunity.

"Most fans will understand the many advantages and financial implications. This scheme differs from all previous concepts during the last decade in that we believe it manages to achieve all the clubs objectives."

Liverpool recently announced a £55 million annual loss and have identified a move to a larger stadium as a key requirement to improve the club's finances. Their plans for a new ground in Stanley Park are on hold while co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks attempt to sell the club.

Various proposals have put the stadium's capacity between 55,000 and 73,000. Anfield's current capacity is 45,362.

A club spokesman said: “We remain committed to building our new stadium in Stanley Park.”.

In fact Everton believe there is significant potential in re-opening discussions with Liverpool City Council after the recent general election saw the election of a new Labour Council Leader.

Everton Chief Executive, Robert Elstone, commented in his official blog on 13th May 2010 “Hopefully, discussions with Liverpool City Council and the newly-elected Labour leader will also be exciting. The truth is, as I said on Terrace Talk, the City Council does hold the key to a new stadium; a new stadium that’s so important to us to keep pace at the top of the Premier League. Going over old ground, but Goodison redevelopment has an uncertain time frame, an uncertain cost, restricted funding streams and no guarantee, ultimately, of success.”

What is very evident, to bring a stadium to life is a Kirkby-type funding model with substantial private sector support facilitated by a supportive and progressive City Council. ‘Being supportive’, in my view, needs the Council to fully appreciate the significance and contribution made by Everton Football Club to the City and its communities; an indisputable fact that all too often seems to be overlooked. We look forward to fresh and progressive dialogue which centres on the delivery of a funding model and an affordable stadium.”

He then went of to say of the Siamese Stadia proposal “Well-intentioned as they might be plans such as the so-called ‘Siamese Stadium’ don’t really take us anywhere.”

Another local commentator held a similar view and added “It seems clear that the Kirkby Option was, and remains, our only realistic option for a new stadium and a genuine opportunity to compete at the very highest level.”