New Everton ground comes with '£55m centrepiece'

Everton's brand-new state-of-the-art stadium features a stunning £55m centrepiece most fans may not be aware of.

The Toffees - who have just six home games remaining before they say goodbye to Goodison Park - will soon move into their new stadia on Bramley-Moore Dock ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Hoping to secure Premier League football is legendary boss David Moyes, with Evertonians having already caught a glimpse of the ground in this week's test event during an Under-18s clash against Wigan Athletic.

So what is the new £55m centrepiece at the Everton Stadium?

Despite losing 2-1 in their first official fixture at the ground (how very Everton, we know), the Toffees have shed no expense with their four-year construction plan for the new stadium now almost at completion.

Concerns have been raised regarding transport links both in and out of the ground, but the club has six months to iron those out before they host a Premier League fixture in August later this year.

Plenty of standout facets have been noted by supporters who attended the ground earlier this week for the friendly clash against Wigan, including a piece of history that has been restored on the Bramley-Moore Dock site.

According to The Telegraph, keeping hold of the Grade II listed Hydraulic Tower and Engine Room was a key part of the development plans that helped keep some level of heritage.

Laing O’Rourke was tasked with completing the works, with the listed facilities dating back to 1883. The hydraulic towers in the docklands were an integral part of daily operations on the site.

Supported by a £15m grant from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, suggestions have been that the building could be integrated into the fan plaza and supporters have welcomed the news.

“We spent a lot of time understanding the challenges and how we can make improvements and we are very pleased with how the work has progressed”, said Chris Spragg, project leader for Laing O’Rourke.

“The tower and engine douse are a key part of the wider site, and have always been a focal point for visitors and people who come to site.

“They’re interested in the history of the building and how it has been brought back to life, so we are really pleased and looking forward to handing it back to Everton for the internal fit-out in the early part of 2024.

“I think it’s a fantastic facility to be retained, supported by the council and heritage stakeholders, and it is always going to stand out as its own landmark.”