The Etihad Expansion, A Roof Walk And A ‘Sky Bar’

As previously reported in FSM, plans to give Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium a mega revamp, including a near 10,000 capacity increase, were submitted to the local council back in April. Now those ambitious plans have officially been given a final sign‑off.

At an estimated cost of £300m, the upgrade will see the stadium become a bigger and better year‑round entertainment and leisure destination. Included in the plans are several all‑weather facilities, the expansion of the North Stand (which will increase capacity from 53,400 to just under 62,000), and the inclusion of a stunning sky bar and a roof walk attraction. There are also plans for a covered City Square fan zone which will have capacity of up to 3,000 and feature a large variety of food and drink outlets, as well as a club shop, museum and 400‑bed hotel. Also within the plans is a small workspace for use by start‑up and medium‑sized companies that might collaborate with the club, City Football Group or Etihad Campus partners.

The project is aiming to start imminently, meaning that the new North Stand will be ready in time for the 2025/26 season, with the nine‑story hotel expected to be finished by August 2025. It is estimated that the full project will bring a substantial £70m into the Greater Manchester economy each year and lead to 3,000 new full‑time and part‑time jobs being created.

When the plans were first approved, Danny Wilson, Manchester City’s Managing Director of city operations said: “This development will not only enable the club to enhance and expand its offering to fans and visitors on both matchday and non‑matchday, but it will also create lasting long‑term economic and social benefits for our local community, building on the regeneration work City Football Group has delivered in East Manchester since 2008.”