Design for LFC stadium design delayed two weeks as owners scrutinise plans

Jan 10 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

A DECISION on the designs for Liverpool FC’s new home will be made in the next two weeks, it was revealed yesterday.

A spokesman for co-owner Tom Hicks said “excellent progress” was made at a meeting with his partner George Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry in New York on Tuesday to receive presentations from two architectural firms pitching their plans for Stanley Park.

It had been expected that a decision could be made yesterday after a source familiar with the situation told the Daily Post in December that it was hoped a decision would be made this week.

It now appears that deadline has been put back, and Mr Parry yesterday suggested the club did not want to rush the decision.

A spokesman for Mr Hicks said: “We made excellent progress on the choice of stadium design and hope to have a final decision in the next two weeks.”

Meanwhile, the owners are in the process of refinancing the £270m debt taken on when they acquired the club in February 2007.

The new £350m loan with the Royal Bank of Scotland would include £60m to get work on the new stadium started and £25m to cover the cost of last summer’s signings.

The owners and Mr Parry had presentations from rival firms HKS and AFL who are both bidding to win the contract to build the club's new stadium on Stanley Park.

Dallas-based HKS produced a cheaper version of their original plans which were scrapped last month because costs had soared

Manchester-based AFL came up with plans improved on a previous proposal rejected by Hicks and Gillett because it was “obsolete”.

Both companies were asked to produce a full set of proposals with detailed costings, designs, time scales and planning information.

Yesterday Mr Parry said he was impressed by what he saw and he believes that whichever option is selected it will produce an “excellent result”.

“We had two very detailed and very informative presentations which were very thorough and extremely professional.

“It has been another big step forward to finding the best possible solution and the whole meeting was very constructive.

“Everyone is reflecting on what they have heard and a clear decision will be taken soon.

“They were both very good in terms of coming closer to the right solution.

“As ever, when you have a competition you hope it produces outstanding results and I think that this is what we have seen today.

“Whichever we do go with, it will be an excellent result.”

The revised scheme is expected to have a capacity of around 70,000, requiring a fresh planning application.

davidbartlett