LONDON: Queens Park Rangers will leave their cramped Loftus Road home for a new 40,000-capacity stadium in west London, the club’s chairman Tan Sri Tony Fernandes revealed on Thursday.
QPR, currently chasing promotion back to the Premier League after being relegated last season, have played at Loftus Road since 1917 but the ground only has a capacity of just over 18,000.
“Loftus Road is – and always will be – a special place for the club and our supporters, but we need more than an 18,000 capacity,” Malaysian businessman Fernandes said in a statement on the club’s official website.
“With no option of expanding here, we have to look elsewhere and we welcome the (London) Mayor’s and Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s commitment to regenerate the area, which includes an option to develop a new stadium at Old Oak as a key catalyst to bring forward redevelopment, cementing our future in this part of west London.
“Not only will this give us a top-quality stadium to cater for QPR’s needs as the club progresses and grows over the years ahead, but we are very excited about being the driving force behind creating one of the best new urban places in the world.
“This will be the catalyst for the regeneration of a forgotten area – ultimately bringing new transport, 24,000 homes and at least 50,000 jobs. It will create a vibrant new destination in London, boosting local businesses, attracting new visitors and tourism and creating a thriving community.” — AFP