Everton are now less than a month away from saying goodbye to Goodison Park and moving into their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
While the move is expected to be a success from a football perspective, with the stadium a sight to behold on the docks of the River Mersey, there is now hope among officials in Liverpool that the build can be a catalyst for change in the surrounding area.
Using a football stadium to regenerate an area isn't a new idea, with Manchester United set to do the same with their new stadium at Old Trafford, and now the same could happen in Liverpool. Everton's new owners, The Friedkin Group, are now actively appealing to politicians and investors in the city to help revive the area around the northern docks.
New Everton stadium could be a ‘catalyst' for change
Speaking to the Financial Times, Everton's executive chair and Friedkin Group president, Marc Watts, said that it would be a huge missed opportunity not to use the stadium as a catalyst to lift up the area around the docks.
Speaking on how he believes this regeneration could happen, Watts said:
“We’re not looking for any large amounts of public money to make this happen. If the business plan is strong enough, and we think it would be, then you should have partners who want to be part of it.”
If Watts gets his way and the club does receive financial support from investors to improve the surrounding area, then it's quite obvious what is needed. While the area is stunning to look at, there is a real lack of bars, restaurants, and hotels aside from the Titanic Hotel, which opened in 2014.
The addition of these establishments would not only create more jobs and make the matchday experience more enjoyable for Everton fans, but it would also make the stadium more of an attractive proposition for non-football events such as concerts and NFL matches.
FGG says: A no-brainer for the football club and city
Everton are five years ahead of Manchester United in the new stadium stakes, and this is an opportunity to get ahead of the curve in terms of regeneration in the North West. They could also potentially float the idea of government support, given that Manchester United are also banking on this for their regeneration plans.