New Peterborough United stadium could be ‘test-bed’ for advanced technology

Co-owner Stewart ‘Randy’ Thompson has indicated that the ground could host alternative energies, rehab medicine and advanced digital media when it opens in January 2023.

Posh have high aspirations for their new stadium, with plans for 280 non-footballing events a year chief among them.

But Mr Thompson also wants to invite investors he and fellow co-owner Jason Neale are associated with to test out new technology.

Discussing the plans for a technology centre with Posh press officer Phil Adlam, he said: “We’ve told our community we can use this community in England as a test-bed where you can test alternative energies on a new stadium.

“You can test rehab medicine, you can test digital media. We’ve brought some things in with Chris (Brewer, head of media) and Joe (Dent, club photographer) to see how we can allow technology to interact with the new stadium.

“It really fits hand in glove with our current business, and imagine when we have people from 30 countries that are looking for a placeholder to get into the EU; whether we’re in or out of the EU, England is still an important launching pad for the rest of the world into the European Union.
“I’m pretty excited about that element of what we’re doing.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Thompson also paid thanks to the support the club has received from the wider Peterborough community - especially the city council - to get the project moving forward.

Posh are currently on the verge of buying back their current stadium on London Road from the council with the two parties having previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

“January 2023, underline it. That’s a mark that we’ve put as a way of keeping the owners accountable to a checklist,” Mr Thompson said.
“There’s a lot of slip that can happen, but that’s our plan.

“I don’t think people understand how important (chief executive) Bob Symns is to the whole process. We have people that are so connected to the different pieces of politics.

“We have a great relationship with the (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) Combined Authority. We have a great relationship with PCC (Peterborough City Council).

“When we say 18 months, I don’t think any other club in England can say ‘we did it in 18 months’.

“But if you look at Luton, if you look at Brentford, look at Tottenham - oh my goodness - everything goes to planning and authorities and permits. That’s where the problems are.

“We have the kind of community partnerships that makes the whole process easier. What people don’t understand is the value of that partnership with the city which started all of this. We’re nowhere on the Embankment without the city. We recognise no-one has built anything on the Embankment for thousands of years, and we’re going to get the privilege of being a jewel in the city.

“It’s a big responsibility, but the city has undertaken to say ‘we think you’re alright, you can handle the responsibility’, but we only get to do that because of the partnership.

“When you look at the whole stadium process, building is the easiest part.”

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