Sports-led redevelopment has been a key theme of MIPIM, with both Liverpool and Manchester touting stadium projects at the conference.
Although the Old Trafford announcement took centre stage, lessons in stadia development could be learned from Everton’s £500m, 52,000-seater at Bramley Moore Dock.
Five years ago, Colin Chong, chief executive of Everton Football Club, was presenting CGIs of Bramley Moore Dock at MIPIM, this year he took to the stage to present a finished arena, ready for operation for the start of the upcoming 2024-25 Premier League season.
He said: “We have demonstrated that given the opportunity, we can deliver. A 52,000-seater Premier League stadium in five years, that’s the reality of it.
“We are at least five years ahead of any other competitor, for my mind, any spare cash from central government should be going to support development in Liverpool, before it goes anywhere else, because it is an oven-ready opportunity for sports-led redevelopment.”
Colin Chong MIPIM, Everton FC, c PNW
Colin Chong speaking at MIPIM 2025. Credit: PNW
Liverpool lessons for Manchester
Manchester United has set the target build time for its £2bn, 100,000-seater stadium at five years, the same timescale as Bramley Moore’s construction.
In order to deliver both punctually and on quality, Chong emphasised the need for realism.
On the project’s success, he said: “It’s the way we approached the project from day one. We had a very simplistic, streamlined work plan.
“It’s also about being realistic with the quality of the development that we needed to place on that site and being realistic about the risk associated with that site while making sure our then-ownership was brought along on the journey.
“They were always honest with demands – we said it’s going to take this long.”
In addition, Chong believes choosing the right contractor – Laing O’Rourke – was key.
He said: “We could have picked contractors that have gone bust, but we did our due diligence on the contractor, and it was heavily involved with the pre-construction activities. We allowed the contractor to influence the design without diluting our specifications.
“So it’s really about having a plan, having people around you to support the plan, and then sticking to the plan, we knew that as soon as we got planning approval, we could make a start within weeks of signing that off.”
Old Trafford Model MIPIM, ManU, c PNW
Designs for Manchester United’s 100,000-capacity new build stadium were revealed at MIPIM 2025. Credit: PNW
He continued: “By working collaboratively with the contractor, you can share that risk load to who is best placed to manage it.
“We always had a scope of works and a price, and I said to our ownership at the time, once we’re in contract, don’t change it – and there was very little change.
“Once you’ve got a plan, stick to it, don’t deviate.”
The Old Trafford redevelopment can learn from the Everton success story, a similar plan for sports-led regeneration of brownfield sites in Greater Manchester.
Chong said the stadium’s first test event was “remarkably uneventful”, an indication that the club has “delivered what fans asked for”.
He added: “These are people that have got to leave Goodison Park, so it’s going to pull on heartstrings, so whatever we deliver for them has to be better.”
Nelson Dock, EFC, c Google Earth
Nelson Dock sits directly south of Bramley Moore Dock. Credit: Google Earth
Nelson Dock
Colin Chong also revealed he’s always had “envious eyes” on Nelson Dock, the dock adjacent to the Everton stadium.
Negotiations to acquire the land at Nelson Dock, owned by Peel have begun, and Chong insists that talks must “make sure that whatever we do, we do it properly”.
He said: “There was always an idea that we might be able to develop a complementary development to support the stadium’s development.
“Our new ownership has tasked me with looking for a sports-led redevelopment that could be accommodated on Nelson Dock, and maybe even further if we can get the right partners to invest.
“We are currently going through a fact-finding mission, carrying out surveys, and hopefully we will have some information back in the next month or two.”
Following responses, the club will begin to look at masterplan design before going to market.
He continued: “Our owners are very keen to secure Nelson Dock because they believe they’ll do something good with it regardless – that’s their mindset, which is a breath of fresh air.
“If I was given a wish list, that would be on the top of it, secure Nelson Dock and protect the asset that we’ve just developed.”
He added: “We’re in a very unique position, there’s over £750m of investment already, and that’s probably the hardest part about sports-led regeneration.”
Goodison Park, EFC, c Google Earth
Goodison Park has been home to Everton Football Club since 1892. Credit Google Earth
Goodison Park
Chong revealed that there are several plans for the historic stadium, including the Goodison Park legacy project, but most likely is its potential hosting of Everton Women.
He also insisted that demolition is not on the cards: “We have no plans to demolish – we don’t have to straight away.
“We’re leaving a Premier League-fit stadium, it’s just not big enough for Everton’s growth plans, but it’s more than adequate to see women’s football through, probably for the next 10 or 15 years.”
Rather than demolition, the club favours deconstructing Goodison Park.
Chong said: “There are heritage assets at Goodison Park that we’d like to reclaim and there are some parts that the local fan base would like to retain themselves.”