Coventry City FC could get new home after years of uncertainty
COVENTRY City Football Club could be moving to a new stadium after having to ground-share.
The Sky Blues have teamed up with the University of Warwick to launch proposals for an arena on land close to the institute’s campus in the city.
The deal would see the university provide a plot for the stadium – probably a vacant field on the southwest edge of Coventry.
If the plan works, the new stadium would draw to a close a troubled period for the club and the use of the Ricoh Arena, which it moved to in 2005. A dispute between the club and the stadium’s operator saw Coventry City playing some of its home matches at the stadiums of both Northampton Town in 2013 and Birmingham City last season.
Under the proposed deal, the club would own and be entirely responsible for the cost of the new stadium and receive all revenue.
A statement said both parties were committed to building an environmentally friendly stadium and one that would be easily accessible via a new light railway station running alongside a new link road.
Further discussions are now set to take place between the university, club and surrounding local authorities and councils.
“The club and university wanted to make people aware of this exciting new development as soon as possible and hope that, in doing so, it will pave the way to many discussions needed with a range of partners to progress this project,” the statement added.
“We do not expect to issue any further joint statements on this initiative until there is significant news that we can share.”