Current proposal
On 13 July 2023, Shelby Companies Limited (SCL) became part-owners of Birmingham City. [4] Since then, plans to replace the club's current home, St Andrew's, began resurfacing. On 9 April 2024, SCL acquired a plot of land in Bordesley Green to use for a new stadium. [5] [6] The 48-acre site is the former home of Birmingham Wheels, a local short-track motor racing park. [5]
The plan is to create a "Sports Quarter" around the ground, similar to the Etihad Campus at Manchester City. [7] This idea was sparked by former NFL player and Birmingham City minority investor Tom Brady, who visited the complex in Manchester in December 2023. [8] If completed, the Sports Quarter will create as many as 8,400 jobs. [9] The new stadium itself has been described as a "super stadium" with a capacity of approximately 60,000 spectators. [10] This will make it the largest stadium in the Midlands, and rank amongst some of the largest in England. [10] It will not only house Birmingham City men's team, but their women's team and academy teams too. Furthermore, the Sports Quarter will include training pitches for the entire club. [2] The hope is that the project will be completed in time for the 2029–30 season, but Birmingham City co-owner Tom Wagner has admitted that this goal is optimistic. [2] [11]
On 5 February 2025, an £100m investment was injected into the project, whilst also receiving government backing from Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who announced that it would be an "exciting venture that highlights how sport can be an important driver for regeneration and growth". [9] [12]
