Crystal Palace will welcome Manchester City to Selhurst Park on Friday evening (28th), with supporters returning to a stadium that has undergone significant changes during the summer break.
Work connected to the Main Stand redevelopment has moved into a major new phase. The existing Main Stand and surrounding areas have begun to be cleared, while the former Main Reception, Boardroom, Vice Presidents’ Lounge, Speroni’s Restaurant and Stanley Stephenson Lounge have been removed and relocated. Six houses previously situated on Wooderson Close have also been demolished, with the area now secured by protective hoarding. The Fanzone has been taken down to create room for construction access and future low- and high-voltage electrical works.
Several matchday areas have been upgraded. The Eagles’ Nest concourse has been expanded and now includes air conditioning, new toilets, a shop outlet, additional seating and a food and drink kiosk. The Wright & Bright Bar has also been extended, while new away changing rooms have been completed beneath the Holmesdale Road Stand. Palace have additionally opened The 1861 Lounge, a new two-storey, 1,200-square-metre glass-fronted hospitality facility offering premium matchday experiences, gourmet food and inclusive drinks.
Further improvements across the stadium include power-bank stations at four locations, new self-service drinks kiosks in the Holmesdale Road Stand and energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the Holmesdale concourses. Almost 3,000 seats in the Whitehorse Lane Stand and parts of the Main Stand have been cleaned and recoated, rail seating has been installed in the away section, and the Holmesdale roof has received a full clean. A mobile shop will also operate outside the stadium on matchdays, alongside refreshed food and drink menus.
Palace’s training base has also benefited from a substantial programme of work as the club prepares for another season of Premier League and European football. The players’ gym has been extended across two storeys, the changing rooms have been enlarged and additional parking has been created. The media and team meeting room has been refurbished with raked, embossed seating and a 3.2-metre screen, while an expanded groundsmen’s shed will house equipment used to maintain the club’s pitches.
Chief executive officer Sharon Lacey said the club had invested heavily in its facilities over a busy summer and confirmed that further Main Stand redevelopment progress is expected between fixtures and during international breaks. Palace’s opening home fixture of the new campaign will provide the first opportunity for supporters to experience the latest changes at Selhurst Park.
