Everton’s new £800m stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is already drawing tourists, including cruise ship passengers who walked from the Regal Princess to visit the Premier League venue. The club plans to sell stadium tours on board cruise ships, highlighting the transformation of a once-industrial wasteland into a tourist attraction.
The stadium, designed by US architect Dan Meis, features four brick-clad stands topped with a futuristic curved barrel roof. It replaces a derelict dock that had lain abandoned for decades, with 12 unexploded WWII anti-aircraft shells found at the bottom of the dock when Everton took possession.
Local businesses are springing up around the stadium, including the Terrace bar, which was a tyre company 18 months ago. Manager Becki Heron predicts the area will become “its own village” with restaurants, takeaways, and shops within two years. However, councillor Dave Hanratty has raised concerns about the concentration of alcohol-licensed premises.
The first competitive game at the stadium will be against Brighton on Sunday, marking the culmination of a 22-year journey since the collapse of the Kings Dock relocation plan. Despite criticism over the loss of Unesco world heritage status, the club argues the dock was neglected long before their arrival.
