Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe Emirates Stadium is one of the largest football stadiums in England and is only 20 years old - but Arsenal are set to throw a tonne of money at bringing it up to date nonetheless.Arsenal made the move from Highbury in 2006, with the Emirates Stadium helping to set the new standard for prestigious new-builds in the 21st century.But the club are now planning to add around 20,000 seats to its current official 60,704 capacity following their Premier League title triumph - at an estimated cost of around �500m. You may like Arsenal new stadium blueprint revealed as owners make '20 years' admission Arsenal commit to Emirates again - which other WSL sides are using their main stadium? Arsenal's Champions League Final ticket allocation is a huge disappointment Get a Surfshark VPN in time for the World Cup HERE!Pick up an extra three months of service and up to a $30 (�22) Amazon Gift Card when purchasing a two-year subscription plan.View DealArsenal's �500m Emirates Stadium headache spelt outClub owner Stan Kroenke recently discussed the planned renovations, saying: Theres some character that I want to make sure were preserving and bringing back to the ground as well. I think we can do that in a very elegant manner thats really to the benefit of Arsenal."We do this stuff in the States in our facilities and our teams. We take great pride in it so I think we have a chance to come over and really give the Arsenal supporters an elevated matchday experience from where they are right now."No formal permission has yet been granted, but Josh Kroenke has confirmed that talks are underway, led by chief executive Richard Garlick.With 100,000 fans sitting on a season ticket wait list, Arsenal see the potential expansion as a potentially valuable source of future revenue - but there's more to it than that.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.One factor is that what was cutting-edge and innovative in 2006 has now been gazumped by more recent stadium developments - most notably, in this case, Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium less than four miles away. That means there is more competition for alternative uses of the stadium like conferences, combat sports and concerts.So how do Arsenal solve that, and why is it so expensive? YouTuber Sabrina Builder explains the thinking in an excellent video, detailing why Arsenal's proposed expansion would be estimated to cost even more than the �390m the stadium cost in the first place.Why Arsenal is spending �500M to fix a "Perfect" Stadium - YouTubeWatch On The issue, fundamentally, is that the Emirates Stadium was originally built to fit a very tight and specific floorplan and was never intended to be expanded. What to read next Newcastle United sell St James' Park as stadium uncertainty continues Wrexham Racecourse Ground redevelopment project costing �90m to get stadium Premier League-ready How to watch Arsenal vs Chelsea: Live Streams, TV details & preview for huge London derby at the Emirates Stadium That means it has been constructed with efficiency of space in mind rather than making it easier to redevelop, and adding more seats is the opposite of a trivial job.As the video outlines, the options are either:Add an extra tier on top, which would require a huge amount of structural work and the removal of the roof for construction;Lower the pitch into the ground and add extra seats below the current lower tier, which would be extremely tricky due to the tube lines and sewers under the stadium; orChange the angle of the seats to make the existing stands steeper and thus create more rows of seating.However, all three of these options would require Arsenal to improve infrastructure like transport, stadium facilities, and security.There would also be a lot of political wrangling to do to get Islington council and local community groups on board, which would likely result in Arsenal paying for more local improvements in exchange for getting permission.Those negotiation around permissions alone has been estimated as potentially being a five-year project before any new cement is even mixed.Whichever option Arsenal take, they would also be likely to need to find a new home in the meantime. Wembley is the most likely destination, as it was with Tottenham - but that, too, would require a deal to be struck.Steven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
