Manchester United announces plans for a new $2.5 billion stadium
After more than a century, Manchester United has decided it’s time for some new digs.
The British soccer team’s leadership on Tuesday announced the plans for a new stadium that could hold 100,000 spectators.
The move from the historic Old Trafford into this proposed stadium would be groundbreaking in several ways — aside from literally, since the new stadium will be built right next to the existing site.
Three things to know:
- With its proposed capacity, the new venue would surpass London’s Wembley Stadium as the biggest in the United Kingdom and would top Old Trafford’s capacity of just over 74,000.
- There is no plan to renovate Old Trafford, which at 115 years old has struggled with a leaky roof and rodent sightings among other issues, and is planned for demolition.
- Among the new bits and bobs will be a solar energy and rainwater harvesting roof and a unique trident structure visible for 25 miles. It’s estimated to cost more than $2.5 billion according to the organization’s CEO, and will take five years to build.
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Troubling times for Manchester Utd
The stadium announcement comes days after fans of the soccer club took to the streets to protest club leadership’s choices both on and off the field.
The team has racked up more than a billion dollars in debt alongside performance issues, and its American owners, the Glazer family, have yet to share how they plan to fund it.
Dive deeper with NPR:
- For a clearer picture on the woes of Manchester United, check out this piece from NPR’s Lauren Frayer.
- Want just the right amount of economics sent to your inbox weekly? Subscribe to the Planet Money newsletter.
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