The new St. James’ STACK is officially under construction, according to Newcastle United.
Construction is underway to create a new Newcastle United fan zone outside St James’ Park, which should be finished by summer.
Following Newcastle’s acquisition of the leasehold site at Strawberry Place adjacent to St James’ Park from developers last year, the St James’ STACK was revealed. The fan area will be there for a duration of three years.
According to the club’s most recent financial statements, a £12.4 million investment was made to enhance the first-team training facility at Darsley Park and buy the leasehold site during the 2022–2023 season. On the site, construction began earlier this month.
“Work on transforming the land on Strawberry Place has begun with construction company, The Abbey Group, laying the foundations for the site before the shipping containers, which are synonymous with the STACK brand, will be installed in coming months,” according to an official statement released by Newcastle.
“Built using repurposed shipping containers around a central plaza and main stage area, ‘St. James’ STACK, presented by Sela’ will attract people of all ages, with carefully curated events and attractions designed for families at key dates throughout the year, whilst matchdays will provide supporters with a number of food and drink options and entertainment.”
The fan zone is scheduled to debut this summer, according to Darren Eales, chief executive officer of Newcastle, who spoke with The Gazette.
“On [the fan zone], we’re full steam ahead,” Eales declared. “We want to try to open it by the end of the current season, ideally by the beginning of the following one, and we intend to do so for the Spring and Summer.
“St James’ Stack will be open seven days a week, so it’s not just on matchday. We’re excited because it gives us more of that footprint.” It all comes down to our incredible fan base, which is twice the size of St. James’ Park.
“Part of our thinking about how we can expand the club and foster a sense of community among our supporters is our ability to have a presence at St. James’ Stack, where we can host activities and foster a sense of connection among fans without the need for a season ticket. It’s about what else we can do for the club 365 days a year, not just on match days.”
