Liverpool's new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette have
been asked by city council leaders to look again at sharing their
new stadium with Everton. The American tycoons want to make
Liverpool's proposed new stadium bigger than the planned
60,000-capacity.
Liverpool have always ruled out sharing with Everton but council
leader Warren Bradley wants them to reconsider. He told the
Liverpool Echo: "If they can consider an increase in size, why
can't they consider a shared stadium?"
Liverpool have yet to confirm the decision to suspend preparatory
work on the £215m project in Stanley Park, but have revealed a
review will be undertaken. And Bradley, a Blues season-ticket
holder, feels Hicks and Gillette could be persuaded to allow
Everton to share the new ground.
He added: "They have got their guys (Dallas firm HKS) looking at
designs, infrastructure and everything. "Are you telling me a
commercial business in America doesn't sweat the asset? They sweat
that asset until they can't get any more out of it.
Everton are considering moving to a new site outside Liverpool in
Kirkby but Bradley also thinks redeveloping their current home
Goodison Park should not be ruled out. "I think in a few years'
time they'll be playing in a new stadium and I think it will be in
Liverpool," Bradley explained.
"I would be happy with a joint stadium, I've got to be honest, but
my gut feeling is probably not. "I don't see any reason why
Goodison Park can't be redeveloped. You could quite easily fit an
additional footprint and some commercial activity - a hotel, for
example - into a new development."
