It looks like Birmingham City’s plans to construct a new stadium could advance significantly this week.
The BBC reports that the Blues have bought council-owned land with the intention of replacing St. Andrew’s soon.
St Andrew’s, which can accommodate 29,409 people, has been the Midlands group’s home since 1906.
In addition to repairs to two structures that were damaged earlier, the stadium has undergone recent work to allow spectators to stand safely in certain areas of the home field.
Nonetheless, with Tom Wagner having just completed his takeover of the Championship team last year, a new stadium may potentially be constructed by the new owners.
The property committee of the council will likely approve the sale of the site, which is situated on Bordesley Park, as early as Thursday this week.
Although Birmingham may not be the driving force behind the purchase, it is believed that the team has approved the agreement.
Up to 3,000 jobs are anticipated to be generated by the 48-acre site’s future development.
The distance between the site and the club’s present home field is less than a mile.
The second division team may be taking on a major project that may take several years to finish.
CEO Garry Cook stated that the recent agreement to rename St. Andrew’s to St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead was the start of the new owners’ efforts to support the expansion of the Blues’ brand.
This might be the next phase of that expansion effort, since a new stadium would help the team become even more well-known.
Cook told the BBC back in January that “a worldwide audience has tuned in to what is happening at Blues, they want to find out more, and we have only just scratched the surface of what is possible.”
Knighthead is bringing a level of ambition and investment to Birmingham that will benefit the club and the city as a whole.
“One instance of this is our collaboration.
Our unique perspective on the football world is informed by our knowledge that expanding awareness and participation on social media and other platforms would enhance our commercial growth prospects.
“For Blues, this means the prospect of significant investment, both on and off the pitch.”
Birmingham is only outside the bottom three in the Championship table right now because of a better goal differential. They are presently ranked 21st.
Although many fans may find it bittersweet to leave their longtime home, this might be the best move for the Blues in the long term.
Building a new stadium would be a really interesting project that demonstrates the goals of the new owners.
Undoubtedly, this will be a costly project, but in the long run, the advantages might offset the costs.
For Birmingham fans, this might be a really exciting time if the team can finish in the Championship this year.
