Birmingham City stadium: Finance expert drops ‘massive’ claim after analysing official documents
Birmingham City’s stadium plans will not hinge on whether the club achieve promotion to the Premier League.
That is according to football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley who has exclusively told Football Insider that he believes the plans can be made into reality.
Birmingham want to build a new 62,000 capacity seater stadium to replace their current St Andrew’s home, which currently holds just over 29,000.
£2billion could be spent on Birmingham’s new stadium, with housing and hotels also in place to be built on the site of the new ground.
Birmingham owners must be ‘committed’ to stadium project
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley does not believe Birmingham need to gain promotion to the Premier League to go through with the project.
“So from what I can see on this one, I think the affordability point is going to come down massively to the ownership group,” Plumley said.
“And however they choose to structure that, whether they put the money in, whether there’s investment raises, whether there’s partners that come on board like what Manchester United are talking about, you know, we need investors to come in and help us to fund the capital costs.
“So in that regard, it’s viable because the ownership group are fronting it up and are being pretty bullish about it. If you know the connections to make it work. So I think the project itself from a financial position is viable, whether the owners are committed to it.
“Therefore, it doesn’t rely on gaining promotion to the Premier League. But I think to see the real benefits of the stadium, that’s where they’ll be aiming at.
“So, again, it is a longer-term play. But it’s not like they have to get to the Premier League to drive the stadium project. I think that’s going to come from the ownership group.”
Birmingham promotion in the balance
Birmingham’s increased capacity has been questioned, with doubts over how often they would sell out their new stadium.
The club’s chances of gaining promotion to the Premier League this season are currently alive through the play-off places.
Birmingham sit just three points off the final play-off spot, although inconsistent form is hampering their chances of climbing the table.