Stadium Expansion (Confirmed)

[mekonmcfc]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

The conrtactor that will be building it, is expecting to start at the end of this season

 

[blueparrot]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

I've found the original story with the timetable in it: it's here http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Club-news/2013/July/Etihad-Stadium-future - but I've copied and pasted the text below, highlighting the relevant text. They always said the public copnsultation would be in "the autumn", though if they're allowing six weeks and have to look as though they've seriously considered the responses before applying for planning permission, they'll have to get cracking fairly soon:

Public consultation opens around Etihad Stadium development

Fri 12 Jul 2013, 7:00AM
Posted by @porter_mcfc

Manchester City Football Club opens an exhibition at the Etihad Stadium on Friday 12 July to present the Club’s options for the potential expansion of the ground’s seating capacity.

The Club is seeking the views of fans, local residents and other stakeholders at the free exhibition at the Etihad Stadium where people will be asked to fill in a short questionnaire.

The same information and questionnaire can also be viewed online and responded to at <a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcfc.co.uk/stadiumfuture" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mcfc.co.uk/stadiumfuture</a>

The capacity of the Etihad Stadium is currently around 47,500. The Club’s two proposed options are to undertake the expansion of the South Stand alone (phase 1), to increase matchday capacity to around 54,000, or to expand both the South and North Stands at the same time (phases 1 and 2), to increase matchday capacity to about 60,000.

In the event of planning permission being granted, it is the Club’s current intention to first proceed with the development of the South Stand. However a phased or concurrent approach – pursuing the additional construction of an extension to the North Stand - remains a possibility.

This proposed expansion of the Etihad Stadium would allow the club to introduce a new Seasoncard for £299, and to improve the hospitality offer.

The questionnaire also asks fans of both Manchester City and other football clubs for their views on the possible relocation of visiting fans on matchday.

This first phase of public consultation runs throughout July and August and will be followed by a formal public consultation in the autumn ahead of the club proposing to submit a planning application to Manchester City Council in December.

Spokesperson: Pete Bradshaw, Head of Infrastructure & Corporate Responsibility; said:

“Manchester City Football Club strives to provide its supporters and visiting fans with one of the best possible matchday experiences in the Premier League and European football. Games are selling out frequently prior to going on open sale and there is rising demand from supporters for more season tickets, matchday tickets and premium seating. This is why we are considering these expansion proposals.

“We will be in touch with every fan who would be potentially affected by the changes in phase 1, and we encourage fans, residents and anyone who has a point of view, to visit the exhibition in person or online and tell us what they think.”

...

Now I'll see if I can find what they said about disruption during any work.

I don't think I've seen it written anywhere, but when I did the tour in the cabin the guide said they had been told it could be done without losing any seats for games, and with the roof only being off for a handful of games.
Though he did admit he had no idea about how they would achieve it, he said, if they think they can they probably will.

 

[waspish]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Those 12k extra seats I can see half of them at least going to season ticket holders so on match day we will have to shift 10k

 

[kunaguero10]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Away fans over 3 tiers is a great idea. The best away ends are places where you are all on the same tier its harder for songs to carry over two tiers never mind 3 so it will be 3 smaller pockets of fans singing different songs at the same time

Is that good? Killing the away atmosphere? Without some away noise I fear the southstand would have even less reason to be vocal

 

[petrusha]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

I don't think I've seen it written anywhere, but when I did the tour in the cabin the guide said they had been told it could be done without losing any seats for games, and with the roof only being off for a handful of games.
Though he did admit he had no idea about how they would achieve it, he said, if they think they can they probably will.

Actually, that rings a bell: what I'm thinking of may well be you reporting that or someone else posting a similar comment.

Meanwhile in terms of filling the ground, while they didn't rule out the possibility of doing both the north and south ends at the same time, the original preference was quite clearly stated to be extending only the South Stand at first. If they've decided to do it all in one go, then it strongly implies that the results of the consultation suggest that the additional seats can be sold at the prices they intend to sell them at.

 

[The Pink Panther]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Away fans over 3 tiers is a great idea. The best away ends are places where you are all on the same tier its harder for songs to carry over two tiers never mind 3 so it will be 3 smaller pockets of fans singing different songs at the same time

Is that good? Killing the away atmosphere? Without some away noise I fear the southstand would have even less reason to be vocal

I would have thought that having away fans situated in three different stands would be a logistical nightmare and due to segregation, reduce the capacity of the stadium

 

[petrusha]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Away fans over 3 tiers is a great idea. The best away ends are places where you are all on the same tier its harder for songs to carry over two tiers never mind 3 so it will be 3 smaller pockets of fans singing different songs at the same time

Is that good? Killing the away atmosphere? Without some away noise I fear the southstand would have even less reason to be vocal

I would have thought that having away fans situated in three different stands would be a logistical nightmare and due to segregation, reduce the capacity of the stadium

This wasn't one of the original options, which were set out on the official site (here - http://mcfc.co.uk/The-Club/Stadium-Future/Visiting-Supporters) and were: (i) tiers 1 and 2, South Stand; (ii) tier 3, South Stand; and (iii) tier 3, East Stand.

I agree with you - it would sound more practicable to me to keep them on two tiers rather than all three.

 

[Kenney_The_Blue]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

12,000 seats x £299 a ticket = £3,5880.00

12,000 seats x £450 a ticket = £5,4000.00

They can argue over 1.9m for a transfer of a player for 40 seconds.

Small difference to city, massive difference to the fans.

 

[Academica]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

We don't have to find 12000 new fans, must be thousands of blues who have stopped going due to cost, 299 season tickets could bring a lot of these back as well as attracting new fans. Build it and they will come ( hopefully).

 

[Eccles Blue]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

I’m excited, all right don’t get worried, it’s just a supporter’s excitement and this time it isn’t even over Vincent Kompany or Zaba!! So there’s something new! You should know me by now, I get excited at the slightest thing............. not that Vinnie or Zaba are the slightest things, but I'm old not dead!!! :-)

Anyway, along with a group of other fans I was invited to the stadium to view the expansion models and discuss what the plans for the fans are going to be when they get planning permission. The images of how the stadium will look are absolutely fantastic and of course this will mean more season tickets. The plan for the season tickets is with a starting price of around £299.

It will give people chance to add friends and family to the waiting list so that you can all sit together if you want to. When you register your/their names you get an allocated number and the sooner you register the higher up your number will be. Then when they start allocating the new season cards you can either accept the offer or, if you want to wait a little longer for some reason, you won’t lose your place on the list you will be re-invited for the next round of offers. You will have to put a deposit down for the number of people when you register but that discourages time wasters I guess, although that wasn’t how it was put across.

As I say I am excited about how this looks as if it's going to pan out. It’s obvious the club is not just saying, 'right this is it, take it or leave it,' they are canvassing views from supporters and they are listening. Supporters wanted cheaper season cards and they listened and are working on it, supporters wanted to move and sit with their friends or family and they are looking to help people with that.

It's a good omen I feel. Well done City. IMHO

Glad your excited She but it will price me out of my seat and that will be me finished with City then. Not for the fans anymore

But CBBE, why would that be? You've not seen what the price levels etc are as yet? Can I come round for the meat loaf supper this evening??? ;-)

 

[blueyorkie]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!!!

In my mind I'm hoping the away fans are spread over 3 tiers, but get shifted to the corner like we were at Hamburg. That way we get a full 'atmospheric end' and it stops the away fans being directly above any City fans, and if they cant sell out a tier we open it up to ours like we do at present.

Am I close? Thanks for the update anyway folks

Be good to stick them near the corner flag, anyone else sick of seeing away fans behind the goal whilst watching MOTD etc?

Thats the way it was explained to us last night

 

[blueyorkie]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

If there is a need for any reduction in capacity whilst work is carried out, the club intend to revoke season tickets of fans who regularly no show at games and using the latest movement sensors linked to HD CCTV, the club will monitor fans who leave early and again, if there is a need for a reduced capacity during building work, their season tickets will be revoked. The club feel this will free up around 4,000 to 5,000 seats and fans can be temporarily relocated there.

Last night we were told that there should be only minmal disruption during the building stages, in the case of the south stand this would mean closing the legends suite for a season. They will make a decision on whether to do one end or two dependant on demand indicated by them opening a waiting list in the next few weeks. The build programme is expected to take around 18 months I believe, building would commence as soon a s formal Planning is granted. Will try and remember more an d post later.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!!!

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2990/yhxq.jpg
Could this be something like it?

The new third tries will be taller and steeper than the current CB and east stand

Yep, bang on.

The best current comparison would be the opposite ends at Old Trafford.

A break in the roof lines with a return to a more traditional stadia look.

 

[ell]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Away fans over 3 tiers is a great idea. The best away ends are places where you are all on the same tier its harder for songs to carry over two tiers never mind 3 so it will be 3 smaller pockets of fans singing different songs at the same time

Is that good? Killing the away atmosphere? Without some away noise I fear the southstand would have even less reason to be vocal

I see your point, but I'm one of those who thinks the away fans shouldn't dictate our atmosphere. I guess times have changed though and now the away fans are always the dominant vocal part of the stadium, plus a minority seem more obsessed with away fans than the actual game

 

[ancoats]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

is the first stage of the build for the rugby world cup in 2015 then after that the other end will be built for the 2016 season

we will defo need a 60.000 plus stadium and also we could offer the stadium to uefa for a champions league final

 

[cibaman]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Away fans over 3 tiers is a great idea. The best away ends are places where you are all on the same tier its harder for songs to carry over two tiers never mind 3 so it will be 3 smaller pockets of fans singing different songs at the same time

Is that good? Killing the away atmosphere? Without some away noise I fear the southstand would have even less reason to be vocal

I see your point, but I'm one of those who thinks the away fans shouldn't dictate our atmosphere. I guess times have changed though and now the away fans are always the dominant vocal part of the stadium, plus a minority seem more obsessed with away fans than the actual game

I agree. At the moment most of the City songs are sung as a response to the away fans. In the longer term it might create a better atmosphere if we didn't rely on the away fans.

 

[Colins Bellend]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

is the first stage of the build for the rugby world cup in 2015 then after that the other end will be built for the 2016 season

we will defo need a 60.000 plus stadium and also we could offer the stadium to uefa for a champions league final

We cant sell out against Bayern why do we need 60K

 

[Colins Bellend]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

I’m excited, all right don’t get worried, it’s just a supporter’s excitement and this time it isn’t even over Vincent Kompany or Zaba!! So there’s something new! You should know me by now, I get excited at the slightest thing............. not that Vinnie or Zaba are the slightest things, but I'm old not dead!!! :-)

Anyway, along with a group of other fans I was invited to the stadium to view the expansion models and discuss what the plans for the fans are going to be when they get planning permission. The images of how the stadium will look are absolutely fantastic and of course this will mean more season tickets. The plan for the season tickets is with a starting price of around £299.

It will give people chance to add friends and family to the waiting list so that you can all sit together if you want to. When you register your/their names you get an allocated number and the sooner you register the higher up your number will be. Then when they start allocating the new season cards you can either accept the offer or, if you want to wait a little longer for some reason, you won’t lose your place on the list you will be re-invited for the next round of offers. You will have to put a deposit down for the number of people when you register but that discourages time wasters I guess, although that wasn’t how it was put across.

As I say I am excited about how this looks as if it's going to pan out. It’s obvious the club is not just saying, 'right this is it, take it or leave it,' they are canvassing views from supporters and they are listening. Supporters wanted cheaper season cards and they listened and are working on it, supporters wanted to move and sit with their friends or family and they are looking to help people with that.

It's a good omen I feel. Well done City. IMHO

Glad your excited She but it will price me out of my seat and that will be me finished with City then. Not for the fans anymore

But CBBE, why would that be? You've not seen what the price levels etc are as yet? Can I come round for the meat loaf supper this evening??? ;-)

Smoking Mirrors my friend , I have no trust in the club anymore. Business is business and i'm just another punter a memory stick and 10% off Etihad Airways do not smooth over the huge price rise this season and it will continue

 

[supercity88]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

is the first stage of the build for the rugby world cup in 2015 then after that the other end will be built for the 2016 season

we will defo need a 60.000 plus stadium and also we could offer the stadium to uefa for a champions league final

We cant sell out against Bayern why do we need 60K

Affordability, currently the club has to charge higher prices on average to boost revenue. If 45000 turn up paying a high amount that is more revenue than 48000 paying lower prices. With an increase they can structure costs so that there are more lower prices tickets and their impact on overall revenue can be balanced by improved and increased hospitality sections and high priced tickets.

 

[willipp]

Re: Stadium Expansion excitement!

Does anyone know if it will mean a review of the overall pricing structure of general tickets. As a not so regular match goer anymore due to kids, price plays a massive part. I would of loved to of gone to the Bayern game but 48 quid plus travel, beer etc is just too much to justify. I really hope that the expansion means reduced general sale prices on tickets as well as season tickets. Nothing i want more in a few years than to be able to take my lad on City on a regular basis, but at todays prices there isnt a hope in hell.

Some people on here are saying we wont sell out an increased capacity but id much rather have us selling 58k - sellout and starting to bring back a lot of fans who just cant afford to go on a regular basis any more. You will probably get a lot of fans who maybe go on 2, 3, or 4 games a season maybe going to 9 or10 games a season and Dads who currently go alone, maybe start taking their kids.