DEAL AGREED TO BUILD STADIUM
Swansea City Council Press Release - 6th June 2003
A new 20,000 all-seater sports stadium is to be built in Swansea.
Swansea Council and developers Capital and Regional have agreed the documents that can enable the construction of the new Morfa Stadium to start.
Capital and Regional will carry out the development of a retail and leisure park to generate the funds to make it possible for the Council to build the stadium.
The Council has already invited recognised contractors with a proven track record in stadium construction to tender for the contract.
It is hoped that work on the stadium will get under way in October with a proposed completion date of Autumn 2005.
The £24 million stadium will be home to Swansea City Football Club and the new regional rugby team for Swansea and Neath.
It could also host regional, national and international sporting events, and pop and classical music concerts.
Lawrence Bailey, Swansea Council Leader, said, "Swansea needs and deserves a modern sports stadium where talent flourishes and spectators enjoy all the facilities of a 21st century stadium.
"The deal has been achieved by a huge amount of hard work and negotiation, and the sporting and economic benefits will be immense.
"People are now looking at Swansea in a fresh light, they can see that we are a city on the way up. We have one of the most exciting waterfront developments in Europe, Wales's National Swimming Pool, the National Waterfront Museum, an exciting leisure scheme in Wind Street and now Britain's latest sports stadium."
Andrew Lewis-Pratt, main Board Director of Capital and Regional plc, said, "We are delighted to have reached this point in these intense and complex negotiations and we are fully committed to helping to provide a fantastic sports stadium in Swansea."
Byron Owen, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Development, said, "I am very pleased this outcome and I want to and thank our staff, members and partners for their efforts."
The existing Morfa Stadium will be demolished to make way for the all-seater stadium and retail and leisure complex.
The plans also include the construction of a new sports village to provide a centre of excellence alongside the Wales National Swimming Pool at the University of Wales, Swansea.
ENDS
6th June 2003 |