A few years ago I put the question out there via 6*6 of whether or not the cantilever roof could be removed and an additional tier put on. The answers where unclear and the general consensus was why do we have to increase capacity because we never fill the stadium we have!! Well a few years have past, 2 promotions and 16,000 ST sold So I thought I would re-submit the question via the new and vastly improved medium of Not606. Cheers guys
Well I suppose anything is possible if enough cash is spent, but who would pay for it ? How could the work be completed quickly to avoid disruption as much as possible? My opinion is that the Swans need to actually own the stadium to spend hugely on it. Another option would be to do what Barca did with the Nou Camp, and that is drop the pitch by 3 or 4 meters and add an extra tier all the way around, that would probably add quite a lot , but the cheapest option is adding seating to non essential areas in the stadium
Before I comment on the thread - well done to you lot. Haven't even looked at the not606 Prem teams until now, and there you are. . A thoroughly deserved promotion to the elite league that even the most ardent Cardiff fan would be churlish to deny was only right and proper. Jager - I wouldn't have thought dropping the pitch to increase the Liberty capacity was on at all. You would need a considerable apron around the existing pitch to utilise for an additional lower tier of seating as you'd need to retain the pitch size at the UEFA/FIFA standard dimensions of 105 x 68mts. I think the Barca situation at the Nou Camp was more to do with eliminating the lower standing terraces and making it an all-seater to comply with the new regs. I also remember from my one and only visit there in the early 90's that they had a wide security/safety barrier around the pitch that they could use up to provide the rake of the new bottom tier. I seem to recall that the Liberty was not designed and built with a view to future expansion. I suppose anything is possible if money is thrown at it, and the roof being removed to facilitate some "upward" growth would not come cheap even if the existing ground works were designed to accept the additional weight. At the CCS, necessary infrastructure was built in during initial construction for a relatively inexpensive (if there is such a thing!!) additional second tier around the north, east and south stands to add a further 8,000 seats. Best of luck to you all anyway - hope you're still there when we join you next season.
Hiya there oldsparkey, glad to see you on here, and thanks for the congrats of going up ! I am no expert obviously on the viability on stadium expansion, I just remember the barca thing as I was over there when they were doing it, as for us building up me don't think so , but hey who knows, I just wish the sport council of wales were not so limited in their thinking with our stadium funding, of course a 20k stadium is not big enough for the premier league, the original design I believe was something like your stadium, with scope for expansion if needed. Still its done now, and we must live with the fact that we have the smallest stadium up there, and we are now turning customers away , 5k extra seating would have seen alright I think.
I personally think we could get 5ks worth of seating in "non essential areas" as someone else put it. All the corners could easily be filled in for a start...
I've read a few times now that we can add a few thousand seats by re-aranging and replacing the seats, this may include placing seats in the walkway. Not sure how true this is but it sounds reasonable and logical.
As Oldsparkey said anything is possible. Dropping the pitch got to be a non-starter. Too close to the river and the water course would be high. Anything that happens will be for the 2012\2013 season What about building a stand behind an existing stand?
Well dropping the pitch lower is viable, and would be cheaper IMO to building up, I created a thread on 606 some time ago asking if the liberty was in fact fit for purpose, and suggested such drastic action as building a completely new stadium, it seemed crazy at the time and still does, but if we stay up and keep doing so, and the liberty cannot be added to, we will turning people away from our club, that cannot be good! If there was to be a new stadia for us, where would you think it could go ?
Having recently spoken to a member of stadium management,there is scope to 'inexpensively' increase the capacity be altering seating layout and concourse alterations. The problem at present is that due to the extended season,previous commitments re concerts, and the need to satisfy H&S and fire regs by increasing exit routes and increasing toilet facilities, there will be no expansion until summer of 2012 at the earliest
The question to ask is though, who will pay for any alterations? Can't see the council having the money or will to undertake this, which comes to us only as ospreys can't even get 10k at the moment, so if we pay for this what is in it for us to upgrade a stadium not ours ? Yes we gain for extra support but this cannot be planned and done in a summer, it takes months or years to change things, if it's going to happen for next season the planning should be now.
Jager - agree 100% Any alterations or additional seating will also effect ST renewals/seat numbers and issue/alterations to bars etc/increased staffing costs to accommodate increased numbers/policing and stewarding/can't see it happening overnight and as you say who will drive such a project forward
The club have a great record of getting things done. TThe swans board are ambitious, mature,local people who genuinely want the club to compete at the top table. The ground has seen some modest attendances but when you look at the potential that bank hol following at Wembley has revealed and what a diamond of a man and manager we've got then Swansea City FC have to take the Liberty capacity up by 5000 within the next 3 years.
