Whooping Stadium of Light upgrade alert as Evangelos Marinakis share opinion.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has shared his ambitious long-term goal of expanding the City Ground’s capacity to 50,000 seats.
Initially, when Forest unveiled plans to redevelop the stadium in 2019, the project aimed to increase seating to 38,000. However, a recent update from chairman Tom Cartledge revealed that the proposed redevelopment would raise the capacity to 42,000.
Marinakis, however, intends to push beyond that target. His comments strongly suggest that he envisions Forest’s future staying at the City Ground, despite previously considering building a new stadium elsewhere.
Speaking to the BBC, Marinakis said, “Over the years, we have done a lot for the region. Now, I believe we need a bigger stadium.”
He emphasized that the first priority is to expand the City Ground: “That’s where the team belongs, and where the tradition is. I’ve already invested heavily in the City Ground, and you can see the improvements.”
With a large fanbase and a significant waiting list for season tickets, Marinakis is confident a 50,000-seat stadium would be filled with passionate supporters. “This is crucial for the team and for the city of Nottingham,” he said. “It’s my primary goal to have one of the best stadiums in England for the years to come.”
Earlier this year, the club’s future at the City Ground was uncertain due to a dispute with Nottingham City Council over rent and the lease of the land. Both Marinakis and Cartledge had publicly discussed the possibility of relocating the stadium. However, in July, senior councillors agreed to sell the freehold to the club. Cartledge recently confirmed at the first Fan Advisory Board meeting of the season that an agreement in principle had been reached.