Season › 2013-14 › News A retail-led stadium site nearby... Michael Kenrick , 18 July, 0comments | Jump to most recent The club's line on the question of a new stadium was reiterated by Robert Elstone yesterday, with essentially the same "retail-led" formula that failed for Destination Kirkby seen as the prerequisite in terms of "that missing ingredient in the funding package.” At a debate put on by Lobby group Downtown Liverpool in Business at Hanover Street's Novotel as part of its Liverpool Business Week programme, Everton Chief Executive Robert Elstone and Liverpool Managing Director Ian Ayre discussed the value of football to the local economy. Mr Elstone reiterated confirmation delivered at Everton's EGM last month that the club is looking at a site in its search for a new ground, aided by Liverpool council, but he dismissed any prospect that the Blues' current home, Goodison Park, is in danger of failing safety standards. He said the club has been looking at sites since 2009 when the Government blocked plans to build a new ground, in partnership with retail giant Tesco, in Kirkby. “We know the city in terms of sites very, very well. Over past few years sites have come and gone.” He said since Kirkby most of the focus was on a retail-led solution, although progress has been slow, but he added: “A couple of other sites have emerged and we are working with the council on one particular site. “There are very good sites not too far from Goodison. It is where we want to stay. ” Finances would probably come from the club and a private partner and Mr Elstone said: “It is important we manage expectations because it is about finding the right funding package. We need to find that missing ingredient in the funding package.” But he dismissed fears over safety standards at the ageing Walton stadium: “We're well up with safety factors in everything we need to do to ensure we can stay at Goodison for as long as we need to stay at Goodison.” He acknowledged: “Concourse space is miserably bad and corporate is relatively low compared with our peers, but in terms of our tenancy, there's nothing on the horizon that is going to threaten that.” Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Daily Post About these ads © ToffeeWeb