Premier League club set to double size of stadium by 2028 as they reverse controversial decision after two decades
BOURNEMOUTH are buying back their stadium as plans to more than double the capacity gather pace.
The Cherries were a cash-strapped League One club when they sold Dean Court to property firm Structadene for £3.5million in December 2005.
Owner Bill Foley has revealed they will repurchase what is now known as the Vitality Stadium in a big season on and off pitch.
The Vitality is currently the smallest stadium in the Premier League by some distance, with a capacity of 11,307 – almost 6,000 seats fewer than Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium.
But Foley is overseeing significant investment in infrastructure as well as bankrolling the club’s ambitions on the pitch.
The American billionaire, speaking at the official opening of Bournemouth’s state-of-the-art £40m Performance Centre, said: “I’m pleased to inform you that we have come to terms on the acquisition of Vitality Stadium and we should be closing that shortly.
“And we also are preparing our pre-application to the council with regard to expanding and renovating the stadium, with the goal being within two and a half years, we’ll have 20,000 seats.
“With the further goal, if things work out well, to go into 23,000 seats.
“It’ll allow us to provide more hospitality, it’ll allow us to take care of some of the 15,000 people that are currently on our waiting list and the stadium will be completely renovated.
“It’s going to be beautiful. And we looked at other options.
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“We looked at building a new stadium and working that out, we finally decided it would take us about five or six years.
“So in this case, we will renovate this stadium and we’ll do it in such a way that no fans will be disrupted, it won’t be shut down, everyone will have their seat and then we’ll move forward and be able to start expanding our base.”