Everton names expert as stadium development director

Article posted by Coliseum, August 31^st, 2018

Image: Everton FC

Liverpool-based Everton Football Club has named the stadium development director to push forward its plans for a new £500-million Bramley-Moore Dock ground. According to media reports construction industry specialist Colin Chong has been appointed in the role, in a move hailed as an “important step” for the club’s stadium vision and the new venue design.

Chong has already been working as Everton’s head of estates at Goodison Park since 2016, having joined from Laing O’Rourke, and secured the latest position in a recruitment process which is said to have spanned many months.

With more than 35 years’ experience in the development sector, he has previously been involved in redevelopment projects at Old Trafford and the Manchester Commonwealth Games stadium as well as the construction of Wigan’s DW Stadium and the delivery of Goodison Park’s Park Stand.

“I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play a key role in the delivery of what will be a great project, not only for Everton Football Club but also for the city of Liverpool,” Chong said, after taking up the new role.

“The club has already done a huge amount of work to get us to our current position, spending millions of pounds to make sure that any scheme we develop is right for the club and our fans, that the design principles are right and, crucially, that it’s affordable,” he said.
“This is a long and complex process, but we have put together a well-resourced team of internal staff and consultants to ensure we are able to drive this forward effectively,” he added.

Everton FC’s chief executive, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, stressed that Colin’s appointment is an important step.

“Colin has extensive experience in delivering stadiums and other large-scale capital projects and, together with our strengthened internal team and a best-in-class team of external advisers, we now have all the resource and expertise we need in place as we move towards the crucial planning phases,” he said.

“The fact that he has had some involvement in the project so far – albeit without being wholly dedicated to it – means he can really hit the ground running with an awareness of what needs to be done next,” he added.

An official statement from Everton said: During the next few months, a period of engagement with local residents regarding the legacy for L4 will be undertaken and a project website containing key information about both schemes will be launched.

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