Job due to complete at end of next year
Everton has dismissed reports the scheme to build its new stadium is running late, adding it expects the job to finish towards the end of next year.
Laing O’Rourke is building the 53,000-seat ground and Colin Chong, the club’s new interim chief executive, who first joined from O’Rourke in 2016, said: “Contrary to some ill-informed media reports, there is no delay and the project remains firmly on track and on schedule.
“What I can say categorically is that, today [yesterday], the project is several weeks ahead of schedule, with another winter to come.
“I can confirm, after overcoming a full winter where we lifted the heaviest materials in the most challenging climate, we are confident the stadium will be completed in the final months of 2024.”
He said the venue would be finished during the 2024/25 season, adding: “If the project remains on schedule, it raises the question as to whether the club moves in mid-season or alternatively, do we wait and give the Grand Old Lady [Everton’s current Goodison Park home] a fitting send-off before commencing competitive league games for the senior men’s team at the start of the 2025/26 season.”
O’Rourke had been expected to start work on extending Manchester City’s Etihad stadium this autumn but earlier this month Building revealed that plan had been dropped after the pair failed to agree a price.
Speculation has since grown that Sisk, which is working on other parts of the scheme, will now be asked to come up with a price for the whole job.
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