Birmingham's HK owners eye 55,000-seat arena

The new management of Birmingham City is keen to revisit the plan for a 55,000-seat stadium to replace St Andrews, which has been the Premier League club's home ground since 1906.

Shareholders of Hong Kong-listed Grandtop International yesterday approved the acquisition of the Midlands club, which will cost the company about HK$731 million.

'St Andrews is the property of the club and we can develop many commercial elements there in future,' said Grandtop chairman Carson Yeung Ka-sing.

Chief operations officer Sammy Yu Wai-ying said they had discussed the stadium project with the City Council as part of the regeneration project of the second largest city in England.

'We have reached a consensus with the council and the plan is to build a new stadium to replace St Andrews. If everything goes according to the plan, the new stadium will be open in 2013 with a capacity of 55,000 seats,' Yu said. 'St Andrews can then be developed for other uses such as property development, but it is still too early to give any details as a lot more discussions and studies will be required,' he added.

In 2004, a proposal was put forward to build a 'sports village' comprising a new 55,000-capacity stadium for the club, other sports and leisure facilities and a super casino. The project called for joint financing by the City Council, the club and casino group Las Vegas Sands.

The plan's feasibility depended on the government issuing a licence for a super casino, and Birmingham being chosen as the venue, but this did not happen.