http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-urged-crack-on-stadium-12824933
Everton urged to 'crack on' with stadium after Council approve funding model
Liverpool City Mayor Joe Anderson wants to see Blues now act with speed
BY
PHIL KIRKBRIDE
- 11:23, 31 MAR 2017
- UPDATED11:26, 31 MAR 2017
Mayor Joe Anderson has urged Everton to “crack on” as they press ahead with their intentions to build a new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.
But the city chief insists he will not be imposing a time frame on the club to move into their dream home on the banks of the Mersey.
The Council Cabinet today approved Anderson’s recommendation that the local authority act as guarantors when the Blues secure the money they need to fund a ground move.
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Now, Anderson says, the ball is in Everton’s court with detailed plans to be submitted later this year and a lender still to be sought but the Mayor has called for the Blues to pick up the pace.
“It is very much in Everton’s court, I would hope Everton, behind the scenes, have been talking to people and have been talking to people about stadium design and stuff like that,” Anderson said.
“It really is up to them, it’s not for us to dictate what happens in terms of the stadium or the process, I just hope, and will urge, some speed on this because I don’t want us to be waiting around.
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“The whole purpose of me getting involved in this was to kick-start it.
“We all knew that Peel had this land and Peel were talking about 30 years before developments started to really to take place, that far down on that site at Bramley Moore and I don’t think the city can wait that long.”
Anderson confirmed that when in discussions with Liverpool’s owners - Fenway Sports Group - he imposed a strict timescale on their decision to redevelop Anfield or build a new home.
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But the Mayor says the situation with Everton is different.
“We haven’t done that,” he said.
“It would be wrong for us to put certain caveats into the deal and say we are demanding that and demanding that.
“With Liverpool, when the new owners took over, I gave them a time limit so they could to assess the situation before we made a decision and they made a decision on whether they were going to develop a new stand at Anfield or move into Stanley Park, which was already agreed.
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“So I gave them a time limit because of the uncertainty and because European funding that was tied up in what we called clawed back, that had to be resolved, and so I had to put a time limit on that.
“With Everton, it is different. They have agreed to buy the land at Bramley Moore Dock and it’s up to them to put the conditions in place that satisfy their shareholders and themselves as a club.
“If this comes off it’s a great deal for Everton, it’s great deal for Liverpool City Council, and I want it to happen but I am not there into brow-beat them into moving on but they are aware of my feelings and I want them to crack on and if we, hopefully, get the chosen to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022, we will be delivering on that.”
