Amanda Staveley has revealed that the club are planning to invest heavily in St James’ Park, stating that “every part of the business needs to be shaken up.”
Speaking at MIPIM (Real estate market event), our co-owner also revealed that we’ve been in talks with architects to expand the stadium after buying back the Strawberry Place site behind the Gallowgate end.
It’s clear that she and husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi adore our cathedral on the hill and have no intention to move, but Staveley insists that it must be ‘fit for purpose.’
She’s discussed the need to not only expand, but also invest significantly in the food and beverage on offer and sort the ticketing system that’s come under criticism recently.
Here’s what she had to say when speaking at the event about off-field investment at Newcastle United:
“We love St James’ Park.
“We luckily bought [back] Strawberry Place and we have been talking to architects about what we can actually do.
“We desperately need to invest in the stadium. It’s just the most incredible place, but it needs to be fit for purpose…
“We create so much magic in that stadium every day and every time there is a game on, Sky love coming. The broadcasters love it because they get real content.
“There’s that sense of excitement that we have to build and deliver because a lot of people can’t visit St James’ Park.
“On the other side, there needs to be significant investment in food and beverage. Food and beverage offerings need work.
“We have got to get the ticketing system right. There was a historical ten year season ticket deal.
“Literally every part of the business needs to be shaken up.”
