Everton announced its proposed new stadium will have a capacity of 52,000, "with the potential to expand" to 62,000, according to Andy Hunter of the London GUARDIAN. The club has yet to release any designs for the ground and its planning application has been delayed by a year until late '19. However, following the first public consultation into plans to relocate to Bramley Moore and redevelop Goodison Park, the club "confirmed its intentions to build a 52,000-capacity arena on the banks of the River Mersey." The projected figure is based on current and future ticket demands -- Everton has around 32,000 season-ticket holders plus 10,000 on the waiting list -- forecast revenues, costs and the orientation of a stadium on a dock site. Two stands in the proposed design "will be future-proofed to accommodate rail seating or safe standing should the legislation change." Everton Stadium Development Dir Colin Chong said, "At this stage, it is important to stress that this is our proposed capacity and it is what we are currently working towards. The final capacity and design will be subject to further engagement and consultation. We believe that our approach is the right one because it is commercially and financially sustainable and will mean that, in the long term, we will be able to increase the capacity should there be a demand and requirement to do so." Designs for the proposed stadium are not expected to be released until next summer. Everton CFO Sasha Ryazantsev said, "We now have a clear idea as to what the likely cost of the funds is. We are almost ahead of our time on where we are in the overall project" (GUARDIAN, 12/20).
