Members hear ambitious Edgbaston stadium plans
Warwickshire members gathered at Edgbaston this for the club's AGM – and heard about ambitious plans to transform the stadium into a south Birmingham growth hub by 2030.
Around 100 members assembled in the Pavilion’s Warwickshire Suite for the Club’s 142nd Annual General Meeting.
They were updated on the club’s blueprint to develop the stadium into a thriving sports, economic, residential and community hub in coming years.
That ambition received a huge boost recently with news the Club had secured a £19-million loan from West Midlands Combined Authority to redevelop the Raglan and Family Stands together with an integrated 157-bed, four-star hotel.
Chief executive Stuart Cain also celebrated Warwickshire’s winning bid for one of eight fully professional women’s teams that will play in a new national structure from next season.
And he announced plans for the Club to develop a women’s high performance centre at the City End of the ground.
“First and foremost we're a cricket club,” said Cain. “We will never forget our roots and the proud history of Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
“These are exciting times and the potential here is huge for us to become a year-round destination of choice for commercial, leisure, and community.
“We want to be the best cricket business in the world. These developments are progress towards that aim and will help us continue making significant investment in the Bears’ playing squad.
“By 2030, if not sooner, we'll have a flourishing women's professional team that's on a par with the men. A Hundred team that's bringing new audiences into the game who we hope will flow through into Blast and County Championship cricket.
“And we'll have a modernised Edgbaston Stadium with a new hotel, stand and next phase of our Masterplan with new commercial and community facilities bringing jobs for local people and cementing Edgbaston a community hub.
“We've made solid foundations. We're one of the best-selling ticket venues in the country, have good governance, built strong relationships in the community, and driven the agenda around inclusion and sustainability. There’s lots to be proud of.”
