Yahoo News Birmingham City new stadium confirmed after exciting 48-acre Wheels site deal
Knighthead Capital have confirmed that they've purchased the old Wheels site in Bordesley Green as they press on with their plans to build Birmingham City a brand new stadium. The Wheels site in Bordesley Park is 48 acres in size and outlines owners Knighthead's intentions to create a 'world class venue' for Blues and make the club a 'beacon of excellence'.
Knighthead are developing plans for what they describe as a new Sports Quarter which will act as a gateway for their plans to make the football club a global brand. The site will hold a new stadium, training facilities for all BCFC teams, a new academy, community pitches and commercial space to support local businesses, on the doorstep of the city centre. It's estimated that the development will create as many as 3,000 jobs locally.
It further emphasises Knighthead's plan to transform not only Blues but the city of Birmingham, with the clear ambition for the new Sports Quarter to be recognised globally as a sporting and entertainment venue. The stadium itself is described as being 'multi-use' upon its opening, with the club seeking different ways to generate revenue.
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READ: Tom Wagner speaks on Wheels site purchase and reveals Sports Quarter plans
Knighthead have made an enormous impression on Blues as a club since taking over from Birmingham Sports Holdings Ltd in the summer; they've already transformed St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, accelerating the necessary work being conducted on the Kop and Tilton Road stands after asbestos was previously found, which forced the closure of those stands.
The ground in general has been more than a lick of paint. The exterior of the Kop has been modernised and the hospitality suites and dressing rooms have also been significantly upgraded. Between the stadium, Wast Hills - which has needed repair work after the fire in March 2023 - and the facelift of the Elite Performance and Innovation Centre, Knighthead have spent around £8.3m on the club's existing infrastructure.
The club has struggled on the field, despite on paper conducting an impressive summer of recruitment, and interim boss Gary Rowett is being tasked with keeping Blues in the Championship across the course of these final five games of the current season. Clearly, though, Knighthead have time and again confirmed their intentions for the club in the long-term - they've also appointed Mike Rigg as the club's new academy technical director.
