{"id":172377,"date":"2025-08-24T18:49:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T18:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/172377\/"},"modified":"2025-08-24T18:49:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T18:49:17","slug":"evertons-hill-dickinson-stadium-cost-800m-it-is-an-arena-fit-for-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/172377\/","title":{"rendered":"Everton\u2019s Hill Dickinson Stadium cost \u00a3800m. It is an arena fit for the future"},"content":{"rendered":"

The plume of blue smoke could be seen from across the River Mersey. It came from the top of Everton\u2019s new \u00a3800million Hill Dickinson Stadium, after the club had positioned pyrotechnics on the roof, and temporarily submerged fans in the two-tier South Stand across the other side of the pitch.<\/p>\n

In this, the city of Liverpool\u2019s new waterfront development, a sea of around 50,000 blue flags waved in unison, christening the occasion: Everton\u2019s first Premier League at the state-of-the-art arena.<\/p>\n

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Spirit of the Blues pic.twitter.com\/a1Kbzd2ula<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Patrick Boyland (@Paddy_Boyland) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The noise that greeted both sets of players \u2014 those in Everton blue and Brighton & Hove Albion purple \u2014 was deafening, registering around 106 decibels. But it was not the loudest of the afternoon during a 2-0 win for David Moyes\u2019 side.<\/p>\n

That was reserved for Iliman Ndiaye\u2019s 23rd-minute opener. The Senegal forward scored the final goal at Goodison Park at the end of last season as Everton bid an emotional farewell to their home of 133 years. Now he has another milestone attached to his name: becoming the first scorer at Hill Dickinson Stadium.<\/p>\n

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Iliman Ndiaye scores Everton\u2019s first goal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium! \ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/FBQIIbPsEB<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And for U.S. readers:<\/p>\n

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AN EVERTON ERUPTION! ILIMAN NDIAYE SCORES THE FIRST GOAL AT HILL DICKINSON STADIUM. pic.twitter.com\/soDX5M6mv3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The goal was a sprinkle of stardust; the kind an arena of this kind deserves and craves. But not from him. It was created by new loan signing Jack Grealish, brought in from Manchester City to lead Everton\u2019s new era and add creativity to a side that has been goal-shy in the extreme in recent seasons.<\/p>\n

Grealish lapped up the occasion with two assists \u2014 as many as he had provided in the last two seasons at City \u2014 and a starring role. \u201cAs soon as I spoke to David Moyes on FaceTime, I knew this was a place I wanted to come,\u201d Grealish said after the match. \u201cToday has proved why.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Ndiaye\u2019s opener, the winger shimmied, finding space on the outside of his marker, before laying on an inch-perfect cross begging to be converted at the back post. The decibel levels rose to 111, just as intended. Everton\u2019s substitutes, warming up in the nearby corner, raced to embrace the two protagonists of this historic goal.<\/p>\n

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Ndiaye celebrates with Grealish (Clive Mason\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

American architect Dan Meis, pitchside to witness his vision come to life, had been mindful of recreating the atmosphere from Goodison Park. The 52,769-capacity stadium is vastly more modern than its predecessor, but it has very much been built to keep the sound in.<\/p>\n

Meis, based out of Los Angeles and New York, designed the steep South Stand to have a 34.99\u00b0 gradient. The legal limit is 35\u00b0. The stadium\u2019s metallic roof is meant to reverberate sound.<\/p>\n

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Everton\u2019s new home looked a picture on its Premier League bow (Michael Regan\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

New beginnings are not always painless. It has taken a while for Everton\u2019s Premier League rivals, such as Arsenal, Manchester City and West Ham United, to adapt to different surroundings. West Ham, it could be argued, never have. And while there will be inevitable teething problems \u2014 on and off the pitch \u2014 for Moyes, his side and supporters, a 2-0 victory in the opening Premier League home game can only help the process.<\/p>\n

Everton\u2019s new Hill Dickinson Stadium is forward-thinking and rooted in the memories of the past. The 17,000 fan plaza, housed in front of the East Stand, has become an early meeting place for supporters. The early evidence is fans will gather here hours before kick-off in a way they never did \u2014 or were able to do \u2014 at Goodison.<\/p>\n

They poured themselves pints of beer from new machines and craned to get a look at the 30,000 commemorative stones on Everton Way. Some gorged on blue doughnuts. Bits of the original dock wall that encloses the site and historic railway lines have been preserved to honour Liverpool\u2019s maritime heritage.<\/p>\n

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The stadium is on the banks of the River Mersey (Michael Regan\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

There has been an early focus from club and supporters on preserving the best of Goodison too. 50,000 blue flags, commemorating the occasion, were produced by Everton in conjunction with supporters group The 1878s, who coordinated fan displays before kick-off. Glossy videos played on big screens, remembering the past. The music was cinematic, akin to one of the well-renowned composer Hans Zimmer\u2019s scores.<\/p>\n

An effort was made to make the new stadium more homely for the Everton players and fans. Concourses featured images of Everton icons, while the club\u2019s Latin motto Nil Satis Nisi Optimum was painted outside the tunnel for when the teams walk out.<\/p>\n

Some of the best moments were organic, but not all. The roar that accompanied Grealish\u2019s name when the teams were read out just before kick-off; Ndiaye\u2019s goal; Jordan Pickford\u2019s second-half penalty save from Danny Welbeck. A group of fans came dressed as cones, a playful reference to when one Liverpool fan mocked the lack of progress on site in the early part of the development. They are the ones joking now.<\/p>\n

Everton played There She Goes by The La\u2019s before and after the match, just as they had done in that final Goodison game. Once again, it struck the right emotional chord. The idea, even in this futuristic new home, is to take the best of the old with them and build on that.<\/p>\n

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There She Goes \ud83c\udfb5<\/p>\n

Atmosphere building nicely pic.twitter.com\/rvEVDVMD4M<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Patrick Boyland (@Paddy_Boyland) August 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There is still much work to do on and off the pitch. For all their promise, Everton also rode their luck at times in this opening win and were indebted to the brilliance of Pickford and Grealish. New signings are needed before next Monday\u2019s deadline if they are to push on. Staff see this first season at the new stadium as a learning process.<\/p>\n

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The Athletic\u2019s view at Hill Dickinson Stadium (Michael Regan\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

It may not always go as well as this. In many ways, this was pretty much the ideal day after the timid 1-0 defeat to promoted Leeds United on Monday. There will inevitably be ups and downs in the journey as the club look to make the most of this new chapter.<\/p>\n

But this was a powerful, emotional occasion and the best possible start for Everton at their new home. It suggested that even better days could be ahead.<\/p>\n

(Top photo: Michael Regan\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n