Plea for Red & Blue to share

Liberal Democrat councillor Joe Kenny has asked for a meeting between Everton and Liverpool football clubs and the city council. City council leader Mike Storey has agreed to attend the summit to discuss the two clubs sharing a stadium. Cllr Kenny wants the council to start a "sensible" debate about sharing. He said: "Liverpoool FC will not have an easy run with their plans to build on Stanley Park and it is by no means certain that Everton will emerge as the winners on Kings Dock. We as a city desperately need a decent arena and exhibition space. It just makes sense for all three to get together to at least explore the possibilities. I know both clubs have said no to sharing and so have many of the fans, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to at least consider it. If fans step back and think about the prospects, they may be amazed. We could end up with one of the finest stadiums in Europe."

Cllr Storey said: "If a proposal is placed before the city council calling for talks to explore this further, I would not be opposed to such a meeting."

Not only does Liverpool have problems with Stanley Park but the Blues now also have a rival for the Kings Dock site. Developers the North Star Consortium has made a bid for the site. It is led by Fiortho, and includes Arrowcroft who own the Albert Dock, Stanifer, Baltic and housing developers Barratt, Morris, Bryant and Miller Homes, Liverpool Housing Trust, Riverside Housing Association and JC Decaux. The project will have no giant auditorium but will have a 500 seat convention centre, 500 seat theatre, 12 screen multiplex cinema, a three star hotel, a huge digital telecommunications centre known as a "tele-hotel", a supermarket, shops, restaurant, a bowling alley, health club, a chapel, crèche, 926 flats and 85 "live & work" units for people working from home.

The Royal Bank of Scotland is financing the project and Sir Desmond Pitcher is chairing it. 17/01/2001

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