MIPIM 2026: The UK's Sports And Entertainment Property Boom Looks For Investors
Manchester United’s redevelopment plans have progressed far enough for the club to now be looking for investors to fund what could be a £2B project to turn Old Trafford into a 100,000-seat stadium at the heart of a regeneration of the area.
The project is one of several around the UK that are part of a growing trend of sports and entertainment projects being used by cities to drive regeneration and catalyse investment and development.
Speaking at MIPIM in Cannes as part of a conference on the role of sports stadiums on city regeneration and investment, Manchester United New Stadium Development CEO Collette Roche said the club has created the platform to reach out to potential investors.
“We have 170,000 people on the waiting list for a season ticket, so the demand is proven,” she said. “I also think in terms of long-term investment, we’ve been there 150 years, and hopefully we’ll be there another 150 more. That gives investors confidence.”
Roche has been working in tandem with Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, appointed to help drive regeneration around the proposed new ground, thanks to his role with the London 2012 Olympics.
“When we consider the success of something like the Olympic Games ... it’s really after a decade that you can judge the metrics and the long-term regenerative effect it had on the area,” he said of his goal for Manchester.
Coe said the development of major sports stadiums can deliver significant investment opportunities to a city through the “unique credibility” that they create.
Although he joked that after London he said, “Never again,” he said he believes sports and entertainment represent “the two great IPs globally” in terms of attracting investment.
“It’s even better if you can combine the two,” he said. “In terms of engaging local communities, sports is what people get, and many cities use sport to unlock investment.”
The big lesson from the London Games is that the more closely the public and private sectors work together, the better the outcome.
Old Trafford is not the only major football ground that is primed for a revamp. Chelsea has discussed the redevelopment of its stadium or a possible move to Earls Court, while Newcastle United is also considering its options for St James’ Park.
Red Bull also took over rugby club Newcastle Falcons and is understood to be looking at possible expansion.
Newcastle City Council CEO Pam Smith said that a sports club redeveloping a stadium within a city represented a “great vote of confidence in that city” and underlined the importance of sports, culture and creativity in underpinning the ambitions of the host city. That in turn attracted investors, she said.
For teams, the advantage of remaining in the city includes the fact that they could leverage the existing infrastructure, such as well-established public transport and places to eat, drink and stay.
“For the city it’s about maximising what goes on inside, outside, benefiting the businesses and giving vistors a great experience,” Smith said.
Huw Thomas, leader of Cardiff Council and deputy chair of Cardiff Capital Region, said that on match days and when hosting major concerts, Principality Stadium in the heart of the city had created a “great sense of place,” while it has brought significant economic benefits to the hospitality sector and hotels.
A 16,500-seat arena is also planned for Cardiff Bay and is expected to open in 2028. The indoor arena is the first phase in a major redevelopment project for the area that will also include new homes and offices, leisure facilities and a hotel complex.
The project will be driven by a consortium comprising Live Nation and Robertson Property, while a tram system is also being developed for the city.
“We have regenerated the CBD all the way from the stadium to the railway station since its construction in 1999, and it has been a major boost to the city,” Thomas said.
