Rangers's Secret £700M Blueprint For Ibrox

Jan 6 2008 By Russell Findlay

Exclusive Revealed Rangers' Secret Stadium Blueprint

A TOP secret plan to demolish and rebuild Ibrox in a sensational s700million scheme can be revealed today.

The club's famous stadium would even be given a new name when it reopens with a 70,000 capacity.

Confidential blueprints for the stunning development, which includes a radical transformation of the ground and the surrounding neighbourhood - are being studied by chairman Sir David Murray. The plans include: A revolutionary pitch where the turf can be lifted and stored outside the stadium, allowing other major sporting events and concerts to be staged.

A huge hotel and retail development built around the ground in Glasgow's Govan.

A massive increase in the stadium's capacity, with fans enjoying clearer views because of the futuristic design.

Sources say the club will ask to play home games at Hampden for two seasons while the s700million project becomes reality.

The New Ibrox plan would also give naming rights to a major corporate sponsor - similar to London giant Arsenal's deal with Emirates airlines that included the renaming of the club's new ground.

Murray last night confirmed the stunning project was being scrutinised with an announcement expected soon.

In a statement, he said: "We are analysing a variety of proposals along with development of the existing outline planning for Hinshelwood.

"There are three strategies - one which includes the total rebuilding of Ibrox Stadium with the retention of the brick facade.

"Full details will be announced at the appropriate time."

The rebuilt stadium would be based on state-of-the-art Japanese and Korean grounds built for the 2002 World Cup.

The "hovering" playing surface can be kept outside Ibrox when no games are being played - inspired by Japan's stunning Sapporo dome, which hosted England's match against Argentina in the 2002 World Cup.

It would give Ibrox greater flexibility in hosting other sporting events and major rock concerts.

There is strong interest - mostly from overseas - from potential sponsors of the stadium's name.

The New Ibrox plan would see the stadium capacity rise by 20,000 - making it bigger than Celtic Park by 10,000.

It would also make it bigger than Hampden by 17,000 seats.

Ibrox would become the second biggest club ground in Britain, behind only Manchester United's Old Trafford.

It would dwarf Chelsea's Stamford Bridge, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Newcastle's St James Park and Liverpool's Anfield stadium.

A40-acre area surrounding the ground including Hinshelwood would be transformed into an Ibrox "village" featuring at least one hotel, luxury apartments, conference facilities, restaurants and shops.

The template is Stamford Bridge which is surrounded by a similar "Chelsea village" owned by the club.

One aspect that will be retained is the stadium's famous red brick facade on Ibrox's Edmiston drive - designed by legendary architect Archibald Leitch.

The listed facade is one of the most instantly recognisable fronts in European football.

It would remain a centrepiece of any new stadium but all the stands would be bulldozed then rebuilt in a "bowl" shape.

The car park would also be developed and there would be new housing to replace some of the rundown flats close to the ground - many of which are now derelict and boarded up. Local people and businesses are desperate for a project to regenerate the area.

The major advantage the plan would give Rangers is a massive boost to their revenue as well as new major investment.

An insider said: "There have been some incredible transformations at Ibrox including significant changes to the stadium as it exists just now. But this is bigger than anything that has happened in the last 20 years - it is massive and takes Rangers into the next century.

"It will be the biggest change made to Ibrox since the stadium was first rebuilt as an all-seater ground after the Ibrox disaster.

"Rangers would have the biggest stadium in Scotland for the first time in more than a decade. It would allow them to compete for the biggest rock concerts.

"This blueprint would transform not just the stadium but the city.

"The whole thing would complete the transformation of Glasgow's south side. linking Ibrox to the changes which have been made at Pacific Quay where the new BBC Scotland headquarters is."

The new plan grew from the embers of Rangers' hopes to be awarded the first regional casino.

The casino instead went to Manchester in January last year.

At the time, Rangers chief executive Martin Bain said of the Ibrox area: "The site is crying out for regeneration."

If Rangers go ahead with the plan they would be effectively homeless for two seasons. And the most likely solution would be for the club to rent the national stadium at Hampden for two years.

There have been no talks with the SFA but it's likely that a deal could be struck easily.

Celtic played at Hampden for a year while Celtic Park was redeveloped in the 1994/95 season.

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