LONDON – Fulham owner Shahid Khan moved a step closer to buying WembleyStadium after the Football Association board agreed to let the Americanbusinessman s 600 million pound ($787 million, 674 million euros) plan beconsidered by the governing body s full council next month.
Wembley, in northwest London, is the spiritual home of football in Englandand the historic arena reopened in 2007 after a seven-year rebuildingproject that cost 757 million pound.
But senior FA executives believe selling to American businessman Khan, whoalso owns the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, could provide a huge cashboost for English football as well as an additional 300m pound in futurerevenues from the stadium s hospitality business.
Now Khan s proposal will be put before the FA council when it meets onOctober 11.
“The sale of Wembley Stadium, the negotiated protections and an outlinedplan to invest 600m pound into football community facilities, werepresented and discussed at the FA board meeting today (Thursday),” said anFA spokesperson.
“Following on from this discussion, the FA board has agreed to take thepresentation to the FA council to get its input now that the full facts areknown.”
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Reports in the British media before Thursday s meeting suggested oppositionfrom amateur football representatives and other grassroots groups couldhave scuppered the deal.
Board approval was forthcoming, however, although Khan s plan will need togain majority council support if it is to get off the drawing board.
Khan s proposals also include basing the Jaguars at Wembley, where asuccession of NFL games, several featuring his side, have been played inrecent years. – APP/AFP
