Bristol City announced plans for ground redevelopment

The League One club has announced plans to redevelop parts of its Ashton Gate stadium. The club will redevelop the East Stand to increase the stadium’s capacity from 19,000 to 21,000 and improve corporate facilities to generate greater match day revenue. "If you look around the country, the vast majority of successful clubs have invested in their stadia,” the club’s chief executive Colin Sextone said. “It is essential to raise the sort of money needed to compete at top level in the country.” Sextone told the club’s website that money for the redevelopment would be available from the Football Foundation fund for ground improvements. The current East Stand, officially titled the Wedlock Stand, was built in 1928 and is not seen as cost-effective to the club. Building a 5,200 stand in its place will not only increase capacity but offer further opportunities for corporate revenue generation. "We will also be looking to agree a new long-term catering contract, covering non-match day events as well as football, and in time a brewery contract as well,” Sextone added.