Season › 2017-18 › News
Everton confident on stadium despite rising costs
Everton's plans to relocate from Goodison Park to a brand new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock continue to develop but the cost estimate and the timescale for its opening have changed.
The club have been working on a development that would finally end a 20-year search for a solution to the problems posed by their existing ground for the past year and had hoped to kick off the 2021-22 season by the Mersey.
That time frame has shifted to 2022-23 now and development costs are now projected to be higher than the original £300m estimate due to what CEO Robert Elstone describes as a 20% premium for building on what is a far from routine location.
The dock location chosen for the Blues' new stadium will need to be filled in to provide the footprint for the construction. An “ambitious capacity” will also bump up the price tag of the Bramley-Moore Dock project but the club remain confident they will recoup the outlay though a naming rights deal, further sponsorship, non-matchday revenue and higher attendances than are possible at Goodison Park.
"You will know we recently secured the Bramley Moore Dock site," Elstone wrote in a post to supporters on evertonfc.com where he outlined the progress made on the new stadium. "Meis has presented the Club with outline concept designs. Cost consultants have prepared estimates. Planners are ready to kick off the planning application. And, we are moving ever nearer to securing a significant proportion of the funding we will need to build the stadium.
"Your informal feedback has ... informed the concept designs prepared by Meis needed to secure a reliable estimate of the project's total cost and, ultimately, our funding target.
"That funding target has escalated significantly and has occupied much of our efforts of the past 12 months. The premium for the waterfront site, an ambitious capacity that we will test with more rigour, a design we can all be proud of and the simple but painful impact of inflation, have all contributed to an increased overall cost and a funding target which continues to grow."
Elstone continued to explain that the club "has always had the full support of Liverpool City Council and throughout 2017, we have been totally committed to finding a funding arrangement that works for the Club and the City.
"Once these funding arrangements are secure, we will be able to move forward with more conviction and optimism."
Mayor Joe Anderson sounded that optimism on Twitter later in the day, hinting that he has seen Meis's concept designs and coined a related hashtag to indicate his approval of what he has seen: "I can also confirm that [Liverpool] City Council and Everton are close to reaching an agreement that suits the City financially and EFC," he wrote. "I have also seen the concept stadium designs and as fan #Meisveryhappy indeed."
Reader Comments (62)
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2 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:34:43
3 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:41:17
4 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:49:15
5 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:49:32
As for the capacity, of course go for a "ambitious capacity". It will be filled by the faithful and a new generation of fans. Additionally there could be many tourists wanting to watch on the day and possible package deals, concert revenue etc, there is no ceiling here.
Incontinence pads are going to get very popular soon.
6 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:56:40
Altogether now: three cheers for Les, hip hip... ?????
7 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:57:35
8 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:00:13
To hear these kind of announcements when we haven't even seen a preliminary sketch of the stadium, along with anyone with half a brain knowing that to build on an old dock site would cost considerably more than a conventional piece of land, is very worrying.
If this was another club, I'd say it's all part of the process, no worries, but this Everton, who's management prowess is less than stellar.
9 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:11:04
10 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:12:58
12 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:17:42
Personally, I'm thrilled.
Happy new year everyone!Â
14 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:23:34
Allardyce out!
15 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:36:41
The evidence is in the tourists you see wandering around town wearing new Liverpool gear and 50/50 scarves. They'd never fill their ground with locals!
16 Posted 31/12/2017 at 19:58:59
17 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:00:40
18 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:08:49
By 2022 we will be entertaining crowds of 30k at Gillmoss. Why do we continue to be sucked into this shite?
Oh yeah... 'cos it's Everton!
19 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:30:57
20 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:36:33
Sorry but that was me being optimistic. I'm a kind of "glass half-empty" sort of bloke who finds he's just had half a pint of dodgy ale! All the best!
21 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:37:38
22 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:39:39
I hope I am one of them I'll be well into my 80s by then.
23 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:42:39
24 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:51:18
25 Posted 31/12/2017 at 20:54:16
26 Posted 31/12/2017 at 21:03:28
I cannot wait to see it glowing in blue on the waterfront with one or two massive Everton crests on the side of the stadium that can be seen for miles.
27 Posted 31/12/2017 at 21:16:28
Alan, I never would have guessed you had a glass! Happy New Year! Let's raise a (half-)glass together!
28 Posted 31/12/2017 at 21:27:14
29 Posted 31/12/2017 at 21:49:34
COYBs.
30 Posted 31/12/2017 at 22:17:02
31 Posted 31/12/2017 at 22:24:23
Kenwright will have left 4 years previously and will still be getting blamed for the “legacy“ he left behind, meanwhile the players are on 𧷤,000 each, per week; they get a free pass!!
32 Posted 31/12/2017 at 22:46:21
I can't believe what I'm reading here and am (for the first time) beginning to lose belief.
33 Posted 31/12/2017 at 22:59:34
34 Posted 31/12/2017 at 23:04:37
Happy New Year!
35 Posted 31/12/2017 at 23:10:10
36 Posted 01/01/2018 at 00:27:25
'The Stadium is not dependent on the Commonwealth Games'.
If it comes in under 𧺬M, I'll show my arse in Lewis's window.
37 Posted 01/01/2018 at 00:53:18
38 Posted 01/01/2018 at 01:44:56
40 Posted 01/01/2018 at 03:42:33
41 Posted 01/01/2018 at 07:12:35
I am probably very naive but that makes sense actually. I would love to see a spade in the ground and can't wait for the new stadium to open just like you guys but I don't read too much negatives in to this message. Good that Everton consider a bigger capacity. It might be petty but I really want us to have a bigger stadium than that other lot... rather take our time on this one than end up with a small 13 in a dozen design stadium with lots of missed chances.
42 Posted 01/01/2018 at 07:52:04
Can't wait to see some plans, designs etc from Meis but the location is cracking and if it's going to take longer to build a bigger shinier stadium then I am totally on board with that.
Happy New Year all!
43 Posted 01/01/2018 at 08:40:43
Now our football is awful I find I am doubting the scheme and its likelihood.
Conclusion? I still see the world of Everton as I did going to Goodison Park with my Dad 50 years ago. We win well, for a week anything is possible. We lose playing badly, all is doomed.
And in the end, I think that is exactly the simplistic mindset that treats footy for what it is, a game of love, hatred and passion with a round ball watched by few million fans.
The rest tends to be a macabre pantomime with us adopting parts like the architect, the billionaire and the CEO with which we stumble around exchanging arguments built on very shaky foundations. The Sky Premier League era.
So Happy New Year from a sceptical fan who will completely change his mind if we stuff Man Utd!
44 Posted 01/01/2018 at 09:27:30
Happy New Year, Jeff and all fellow ToffeeWebbers.
45 Posted 01/01/2018 at 09:54:17
47 Posted 01/01/2018 at 10:08:08
Billy Liar: "A bit strange, that, Moshe lad. They're off that fella who was building the hotel round the back, facing the Blue House, on that land we had, that we remortgaged the life out of. We weighed off Phil Green with that one, or was it the 10 Vibrac loans? Anyway, he seems to know his onions about buildy stuff."
Farhad: "Fuck all that, this is the deal: I will get my mate in, owns the biggest steel company on earth, we will get all the steel at rock bottom price, and at the same time, I will flog a load more steel to Peel while we are down there."
Billy Liar: "Yeah, great, but what's the catch?"
Farhad: Catch? You and that other gobshite Woods give my mate your shares and then get the fuck out of it!"
48 Posted 01/01/2018 at 10:27:09
Usmanov steel etc just might give you an inkling into the role being played by our millionaire. Him and his pal won't be needing the food banks.
Christ supporting Everton makes you paranoid.
56 Posted 01/01/2018 at 11:28:24
58 Posted 01/01/2018 at 12:04:23
As long as the Bramley Moore dock is looked on soon with pride and hope for us blues, because of a lovely stadium that annoys the feck out of the Norwegians and home counties-resident fans, who support 'that lot' - that will be of course what matters to us blues.
63 Posted 01/01/2018 at 12:45:44
67 Posted 01/01/2018 at 13:16:06
I live in North Manchester in my pub these days. The natives up here are seriously worried about us joining there ranks with our new found wealth.
They were quite happy with plucky little Everton. Now that we can spend a few quid and our shiny new ground will make theirs look like a dilapidated pile of shite they're getting twitchy.
If we beat Manure this evening I will be the smuggest blue on the planet with a pub full of miserable mancs.
The other half is a Utd fan. (I'm working on it before you ask)
Those of you who are going. Don't be too hard on Jose. He doesn't look like he's had a nice Xmas. Haha.
COYBB.
68 Posted 01/01/2018 at 13:20:07
It always made me laugh whenever we heard talk of previous moves when we couldn't even leave Goodison until the huge mortgage was repaid (with penalties for early repayment.)
I feel this project is still in the balance, all recent agreements involving leases etc. will be subject to planning permission, so until we see the actual foundations being built, there is a chance this could be another failed scheme. Let's pray Moshiri stays healthy and there is no falling out behind the scenes.
69 Posted 01/01/2018 at 13:35:25
70 Posted 01/01/2018 at 13:37:40
72 Posted 01/01/2018 at 13:44:02
Happy New Year folks.
74 Posted 01/01/2018 at 14:59:08
Will the cocky watchman have a blazing brazier and a whistle and be able to shout "..sit down on those swings!".
75 Posted 01/01/2018 at 15:29:41
76 Posted 01/01/2018 at 16:10:04
Once you are paying the salaries of a team capable of getting into the Champions League in England, then surely you have to be in the Champions League most years or risk huge losses?
Wages needed >𧶀 million (aside from newcomers Spurs)
Capital expenditure ?? 𧶀 on players per season?
Approx ١-400 million to be sure that you are going to compete in Champions League and even then two will miss out every year, three if we can join in.
Finishing in top 6 in the Premier League gets you 𧵄 million of that. Getting as far as the Final of the Champions League is worth around 䀆 million?
So earning 𧶞 million in prize money costs 𧸖 million the rest has to be made via marketing & sponsorship streams. Goodison Park is not capable of supporting anything like enough (㿀 million in gate money, 㾻 million in sponsorships).
Spurs are lighting the way with careful control of wages while maximising squad value and performance, but it is a risky business financially as they, just like us have an obsolete stadium (I define obsolete as being incapable of raising enough money to get to where we want to go). It will be of great interest how successful they are over the next five years.
The stadium MUST happen and until it is in place we cannot compete. Our owner cannot put in unlimited cash while waiting if there are delays, it makes no business sense and once it is in place we MUST be in the top 6 to earn enough to pay for the stadium (though of course the business model of broadcasting Premier League is changing fast too, so income may once again surge).
Moshiri is not here to throw money up the wall, he is here to do business. I don't think it is all about Everton and I think his business partner may well join us in the development of the North Docks, if we can demonstrate that there is enough money in it as well as enough success to satisfy vanity. Liverpool faces the world, not the European Union. The North West is becoming 'London North' with life down there becoming ever more intolerable for the younger generations.
I think these are (off the field) exciting times, risky times in Premier League. There are fewer cosy comfort zones left and success is VERY expensive. We are seeing Spurs emerge as a future giant, we will hopefully see us emerge too but earlier this season showed that the trapdoor to the Championship can open very quickly indeed. On that point I remember Kevin Campbell being bought with what little cash we could pull together - we were very lucky to survive. At least this time money isn't the issue it was.
78 Posted 01/01/2018 at 20:24:55
He's just got a great excuse not to spend the bumper TV money. We deserve him.
79 Posted 02/01/2018 at 01:06:49
80 Posted 02/01/2018 at 16:29:15
81 Posted 02/01/2018 at 19:45:08
This man took over in 1999 and has completely failed to move the club forward in any way. His legacy is complete failure and mediocrity. The club is utterly embarrassing and shames all our fans.
The game is up. Kenwright out ASAP. COYB
82 Posted 02/01/2018 at 20:17:25
83 Posted 03/01/2018 at 12:34:43
Rumour has it Moshiri is prioritising the stadium deal and little wonder when you consider who his paymaster is.
84 Posted 03/01/2018 at 14:22:28
As for the club's update well there's nothing really new. The club set the bar incredibly low so if they show any ambition well of course the costs will rise for a bigger stadium. You look at costs of other rival club's new grounds then you see that Everton (of old) were always looking for the cheap and nasty.
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1 Posted 31/12/2017 at 18:31:38
Most on here want a bigger ground than the RS. What for? 48k with a petition to raise to 53k with safe standing and a design to accommodate another tier to get to 60k would make greater financial sense.