New investors could be lined up to help pay for new Liverpool FC stadium

Jan 9 2008 By Dave Higgerson

THE designs for Liverpool Football Club’s new home are expected to be released today after a crunch meeting in America.

Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett were joined by club chief executive Rick Parry in New York yesterday to receive presentations from two architectural firms pitching their plans for Stanley Park.

A source familiar with the situation insisted the meeting was to pick a stadium design.

But another source said the possibilities of bringing new investors into the club to spread the risk of building the new stadium could also be discussed.

There was also speculation the future of manager Rafael Benitez would also be discussed.

Last night Walton MP Peter Kilfoyle urged the owners to end “uncertainty” and “prevarication” surrounding the club.

The Government Office North West (GONW) confirmed it would not be calling in the 60,000 seater stadium plans given permission in November, but abandoned by the club in December when costs increased from about £300m to around the mid-£300m mark.

Dallas architects HKS were told to make their plan cheaper.

That stadium had the capacity to be expanded to 76,000.

Manchester-based AFL, behind a previous proposal rejected by Hicks and Gillett because it was “obsolete”, was told to improve on its scheme for Stanley Park.

Yesterday’s meeting was to choose between the two revised plans. Club chief executive Rick Parry has previously said the new design will have a capacity of around 70,000, requiring a fresh planning application.