MANCHESTER CITY have provided an update on their £300 million stadium expansion.
Work is underway on a project that will see Etihad Stadium become a 61,470-seat venue.
Originally built for the Commonwealth Games in 2002, the club moved from Maine Road to the City of Manchster Stadium a year later.
It currently has a capacity of 53,600 and is the seventh largest football stadium in England.
There are ambitious plans to increase capacity above 60,000.
City add a huge new level to their North Stand, with expansion open for the 2025/26 season.
The renovation will create an incredible Sky Bar, with premium seating for 450 people.
In addition to the development in the ground, numerous new areas are also being created during the renovations.
City is building a new City Square Fanzone, a club museum, a City Store and a gigantic hotel with 400 beds.
These new projects will take a little longer and are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Ed Dalton, the city's Director of Infrastructure and Development, said: “The work is progressing steadily.
“The project is split into four different sections.
“We have the North Stand development, the hotel, a commercial wing and the covered fan zone from City Square.
“During the summer and winter months we completed all the groundworks.
“We have done as much work as possible during the closing season to minimize inconvenience to fans.”
The project is part of a £300 million investment in East Manchester.
It is hoped that 2,600 jobs will be created.
City last expanded Etihad in 2014.
They added a third level to the South Stand, increasing the capacity from 47,400 to 55,100 seats.
City have also announced plans to “create a legacy by creating new avenues for the next generation of Manchester City fans to enjoy matches”.
This is expected to mean that the club will set aside a number of tickets for fans under the age of 21.
Meanwhile, neighbors United received a boost in their bid to build a £2 billion, 100,000-seat stadium after the government backed the proposed project.
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