BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) – Birmingham City announced plans on Thursday to build a 62,000-seat stadium in a project expected to cost at least 2.5 billion pounds ($3.2 billion) and put the second-division club and City on a “track to greatness”.
The England soccer team, which has NFL great Tom Brady as a minority shareholder and American investor Tom Wagner as its chairman, said the venue would become the “beating heart” of Birmingham.
The proposed Birmingham City Powerhouse Stadium, with 12 giant chimneys, is expected to be built at Bordesley Park in east Birmingham in time for the 2030-31 season.
Speaking at the unveiling event at Birmingham’s Digbeth Rock Studios, Wagner said: “Together we are putting our city and our club on a trajectory towards greatness.” He added that it would “become a beacon of Birmingham’s excellence on the world stage”.
Wagner said the stadium would cost 1.2 billion ($1.5 billion). Other costs are related to infrastructure upgrades.
A promotional video revealing the plans featured Brady and former Birmingham City player Jude Bellingham.
“Wow,” the Real Madrid star reacted when shown footage of the stadium.
Brady said fans were “super excited” and the stadium would be filled with “the biggest stars in music.”
Birmingham currently plays in the second tier of English football. But the stadium plan shows the owner’s ambition.
They finished last in the Premier League in 2011, winning the English League Cup in the same year. It is one of only two major trophies won by the club in its 150-year history.
The stadium was designed by Heatherwick Studio in collaboration with Manica Architecture.
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