Stanley Park Stadium - Stadium

Stadium

The stadium was initially scheduled to open in 2006 with a capacity of approximately 55,000 seats. This was designed by Manchester based architects AFL. A subsequent redesign of this stadium brought the capacity to 60,000, and planning permission was granted for this in 2003. Construction on this never progressed past the ground works due to a lack of funds.

Under the ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillette, Dallas based architects HKS were asked to present a plan for a 60,000 seater stadium that could be easily expandable to over 73,000 in the future. They came up with a futuristic design with a 18,500 seater single tier kop. The design was estimated to cost £400m, and the club were granted planning permission for this stadium. Work never started on this as the owners Hicks and Gillette couldn't raise the funds.

In January 2008, AFL presented Liverpool FC with another redesign of their 60,000 capacity stadium. This was dubbed "New Generation Anfield" and would seat 72,000 with 18,500 in a single tiered kop, similar to the HKS capacity. The stadium would also include two Wembley-style arches. It would cost £290m to build. Planning permission has not been sought for this project however.

In January 2012, the Telegraph reported that the new club owners Fenway Sports Group had decided to ditch the HKS design on the bases of cost and practicality and focus on working with AFL's "First Generation Anfield" plans. They would modernise the now decade-old design, and include a single tiered kop. It is not clear yet however whether the club will refurbish the existing Anfield stadium, or whether to proceed with the new stadium. In any case, it is thought that at least £150m in sponsorship money will have to be raised before construction could begin.