Source: REUTERS/David Klein
[Saba Sports News] According to UK media reports, Newcastle United is preparing to hire an architectural firm to lead plans for the expansion of St James’ Park or the construction of a new stadium at nearby Leazes Park. It is understood that preliminary plans for stadium capacity have been drafted, with several top architectural design firms participating in the bidding process. The two options currently being explored by the club include: expanding St James’ Park to increase its capacity to 60,300 seats (an increase of about 8,000 seats); or building a new stadium with a capacity of 70,000 fans. Reports state that KSS, an architectural firm from London, is collaborating with Newcastle’s local Ryder Architecture and has already held talks with the club, completing preliminary design proposals. Some stadium design sketches have been showcased internally at the club, with reports indicating that the design for the new stadium features a “bubble membrane” appearance, similar to the Le Havre Ocean Stadium designed by KSS. Currently, Newcastle has not made a final decision, and an official announcement may be delayed until after the season ends. However, the world-renowned architectural firm Populous has confirmed its responsibility for designing Newcastle’s new training base, and KSS’s involvement undoubtedly adds significant weight to the club’s infrastructure upgrades.