The club was handed control of the waterfront site during a ceremony on Friday
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An aerial view shows Everton football club's new stadium under construction at Bramley Moore Dock in Liverpool, north west England on November 4, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
An aerial view shows Everton football club's new stadium under construction at Bramley-Moore Dock
(Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Everton have been given the keys to the club’s stunning new home. A ceremonial handover took place on Friday, three-and-a-half years after the launch of the historic project. The move maintains the feel-good factor at the club after the takeover by The Friedkin Group was formally signed off on Thursday.
Executive chairman Marc Watts, the Friedkin’s key figure on the new Everton board, was present at the stadium for the handover after visiting the club’s Finch Farm training ground, where he met with manager Sean Dyche for the first time.
Watts, interim chief executive Colin Chong and contractor Laing O’Rourke project director Gareth Jacques were among those present for Friday’s ceremony.
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Everton will now oversee a six month fit-out of the ground that is due to start in the new year. That work will see the stadium come to life with design and audio-visual specialists among those operating to put the club’s stamp on the landmark. Laing O’Rourke will maintain a presence through the opening months of that work.
The handover, reported as imminent by the ECHO on Thursday, marks the end of the construction phase, which received funding support from the Friedkins in the summer.
Speaking to mark the handover, Watts said: “I feel privileged to be here today to be part of the handover of this magnificent stadium in this stunning, unrivalled location. It is an illustrious moment in the history of Everton and marks a new era for the club on many levels. The stadium will play a key role in supporting our commercial vision for the club – hosting events and activities all-year round - but first and foremost, I have no doubt that it will be a venue that every Evertonian will be proud to call home.”
Three test events are set to take place as the ground prepares to host matches from the start of next season.
Chong, who oversaw the stadium project before being promoted to the board in the summer of 2023, added: “Our thanks go to Laing O’Rourke, their workforce and extensive supply chain, along with the many people who have helped bring our vision to fruition.
“Everton’s passionate supporters deserve immense praise for investing fully in this journey, right from the initial consultation phases and throughout the three-and-a-half-year build process.
“Construction has not been without its challenges, but we have remained on schedule despite a worldwide pandemic and a war in Ukraine, which threatened to affect the delivery of materials and destabilised financial markets.
“That is a testament to everyone involved and I am sure I speak for all our staff and supporters by saying we are absolutely delighted to take control of a site which will soon become one the best football stadiums in world football.
“I often describe our new home as Liverpool’s Fourth Grace, and I truly believe this magnificent stadium is one that the whole city can be proud of.”