Inside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Bold Plans for Wrexham Stadium Expansion
Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have big plans for the club's stadium, following a period of significant growth since their takeover in February 2021.
The global spotlight brought by the acquisition, combined with the success of the *Welcome to Wrexham* documentary, has resulted in sold-out home games at the Racecourse Ground. Consequently, redeveloping the stadium has become a top priority for the Hollywood duo.
While there has been significant progress in increasing the stadium's capacity, there have also been challenges and delays. Here’s an update on the current state of the expansion, including capacity, costs, and key obstacles.
A proposed new 5,500-capacity stand at the Kop end of the stadium has been in the works since before the new owners arrived. The original stand was closed in 2008 due to safety issues, leaving Wrexham with a three-sided ground and a major hurdle to hosting larger crowds, according to *Wales Online*.
The idea for a replacement stand was first introduced in 2019 as part of the Wrexham Gateway project, which aims to revamp the Mold Road corridor. The plans gained traction after Reynolds and McElhenney took over, with the first design images of the new stand revealed in June 2022.
Planning permission was granted by Wrexham Council in November 2022, and the old structure was demolished in January 2023. However, the project faced a significant setback that same month when the UK Government rejected a bid for up to £20 million ($25.8 million) to fund the redevelopment, sparking concerns about the project’s future.
Fortunately, the council later announced that it would redirect over £17 million ($22 million) from the Welsh Government to support the plan. The club is also expected to contribute significantly to the development. With financing now secured, new floodlights were installed in summer 2023, and work on the new stand is expected to begin soon.
Wrexham AFC's Racecourse Ground
The goal was to have the new Kop ready for the 2024/25 season's kickoff, with an estimated construction period of 12 months. Yet, the summer ended with no further advancements, and in September 2023, Wrexham disclosed that the project had been paused due to several factors.
Key issues included meeting Uefa standards, rerouting a sewer, and eliminating an electricity cable from the site. Additionally, a lease held by the previous owners, the Wrexham Supporters' Trust, needed to be relinquished.
In December 2023, the club erected a temporary stand at the Kop end to hold 2,309 fans. A more recent update in June stated that the permanent stand plans were being re-evaluated to "deliver the best possible fan experience".
The capacity of the temporary stand at the Racecourse Ground has been expanded to host around 3,000 fans. While the blueprints for the Kop are still under wraps, Wrexham snagged Populous in October—the same architects behind Tottenham Hotspur's swanky arena—to dream up a grand masterplan for their digs.
A previous set of plans for a new Kop Stand at Wrexham AFC
The fresh stand will boast safe standing zones, VIP spots, and accessible seating for all. An announcement let slip that it'll be up by summer 2026, just in time for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals to roll into town.
Once they wrap up the Kop face-lift, Wrexham's capacity will jump from a cozy 13,000 to a cool 15,000 seats.
McElhenney is shooting for the stars with dreams of a whopping 55,000 seats—but word on the street says a more realistic count post-renovation will land somewhere between 36,000 and 38,000 as they revamp stage by stage.
Chief exec Michael Williamson said: "We are determined to ensure the new Kop stand and the future vision of the STōK Cae Ras satisfies the needs and expectations of our fans and the local community, and the appointment of Populous as architect for the redesign reflects that."
"We appreciate the efforts of those who have worked on this project to date, allowing us to now focus our attention on the activation of areas within the new stand while remaining consistent with the capacity and volume that was previously presented."
"We look forward to engaging with fans and the local community as plans and designs for the stand take shape, along with other stakeholders and strategic partners, including Wrexham County Borough Council, our Wrexham Gateway partners, Wrexham University, the Welsh Government, and the FA of Wales. This is an exciting time for the club, our supporters, and the city as we continue our upward momentum."