Lancashire County Cricket Club to create jobs due to renovation
Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) in Manchester has proposed a planning application to renovate its home ground, it has announced. If Trafford council agree to the application, the construction work will renew Old Trafford and its surrounding areas in order to lure the Ashes back to the region. This will open up many jobs within the construction industry in order to assist the new development.
Developers hope this will turn the site into one of England's top sporting venues, and it is expected to attract an extra 71,000 visitors a year to the area, which will consequently boost the local economy by around £1 million annually.
The club's chief executive Jim Cumbes said: "It's a time of fierce competition for the rights to stage international Test matches, which has seen the ground lose the Ashes this year. The club makes a huge contribution to the local and regional economy and is a critical part of the region's international sporting infrastructure. The significant investment in the new facilities will ensure that Old Trafford regains its rightful place on the International Test Match circuit in time for the 2013 Ashes Test."
LCCC's proposal includes the construction of a new Tesco superstore and new educational and training facilities. The plan, if accepted, is set to cost £200 million and will also feature an enhanced pavilion, a hotel and an extended indoor cricket school. Two new grandstands will increase the venue's seating capacity to 15,000 with the potential of 25,000, after the installation of temporary seating for bigger events.