Birmingham’s new ‘multi-billion-pound’ stadium plans could transform the city, West Midlands chiefs insist… as the Championship club aims to build a sports venue similar to Man City’s Etihad Campus
- West Midlands chief Joel Lavery believes a new venue would be transformative
- He says the 2022 Commonwealth Games showed the ‘power of sport’ in the city
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Birmingham’s plan to build a sports venue similar to Manchester City’s Etihad Campus has the potential to transform the region, insists West Midlands marketing chief Joel Lavery.
At the Sport Accord Conference in the second city this week, Blues chairman Tom Wagner discussed the club’s ‘multi-billion-pound’ project to deliver a setting that would have Birmingham’s stadium at its heart, as well as training, academy and wider business and entertainment facilities.
Lavery is strategic lead for major sporting events for the West Midlands Growth Company, which aims to turn the area into a key destination for sport.
He told Mail Sport: ‘We are very lucky to have five top-class football clubs in the region, including two Premier League clubs in Wolves and Aston Villa.
‘But Birmingham City has “Birmingham” in its name and the success of the club will be linked with the success of the city. As the fortunes of Birmingham City, the name Birmingham rises and we all benefit from that increased profile.
Birmingham’s plan to build a sports venue has the potential to transform the city, chiefs claim
West Midlands marketing chief Joel Lavery is keen to turn Birmingham into a key destination for sport, with teams such as the Blues, Aston Villa, Wolves and West Brom situated there
Lavery insists the 2022 Commonwealth Games showed the ‘power of sport’ in Birmingham
The Midlands club wants to build a sports venue similar to Manchester City’s Etihad Campus
‘After the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the power of sport became pretty evident in the city. The club’s plans are not just about the success of the team, but it was about the success of the community and the social impact the venue would have.
‘It’s about how it can be a beacon of inspiration for Birmingham. It will put the football club back on the map in a city that is passionate about sport and sees it as a big part of our future.’
Visitors to sporting events contributed nearly £2billion to the local economy and if Wagner’s ambitious plans succeed, they could change the landscape of Midlands football as well as the wider region.
The Blues chairman said: ‘Staying in the Championship is obviously our unwavering objective this season but it’s not going to define where we are in a few years’ time. It may cause us a blip in the road but it’s not going to change our commitment, our ambitions, the product we are trying to put in front of our supporters.’
