Building work on the highly anticipated ‘St. James’ STACK, presented by Sela’ has kicked off, with the fanzone outside St. James’ Park set to open this summer.

Plans were revealed in 2023 for the entertainment venue which will create a leisure and social destination seven days a week as well as enhancing matchday experiences for both home and away fans.

Work on transforming the land on Strawberry Place has begun with construction company,  The Abbey Group, laying the foundations for the site, before the shipping containers which are synonymous with the STACK brand, will be installed in coming months. 

Built using repurposed shipping containers around a central plaza and main stage area, ‘St. James’ STACK powered by Sela’ will attract people of all ages, with carefully curated events and attractions designed for families at key dates throughout the year, whilst matchdays will provide supporters with a number of food and drink options and entertainment.

Commenting on the construction of St. James’ STACK, presented by Sela, Newcastle United’s CEO, Darren Eales, said: “The excitement and reaction from our supporters since plans were unveiled for the fanzone has been extremely positive. STACK has a renowned reputation in the North East and having their expertise added to our matchday experience for fans is a great addition to the club and the City.

“Not only will the venue enhance matchdays, but there will be a whole host of exciting events throughout the year, with the venue offering the best of North Eastern hospitality to the public seven days a week. It is great to be working alongside STACK for something that will be great for our fans and the general public.”

STACK:

"We are thrilled to break ground on the St. James’ STACK project," stated Neill Winch, CEO of STACK. "This venture is particularly exciting for us as it embodies a strategic partnership with NUFC that promises to bring a new dynamic to the area.”

“Our vision is to craft a destination that becomes a staple for leisure and hospitality, making sure fans and locals have a great time, not just on match days but any day of the week."

Richard Nellis, CEO of The Abbey Group, proudly spoke about the company’s participation in the St. James STACK project. “It’s an honour for us to lend our expertise once again to STACK, in collaboration with NUFC,” he said. “Having been involved in the construction of previous STACK ventures, we’re excited to showcase the breadth of our capabilities and deliver a unique project that resonates with our commitment to community and innovation.'"

Further announcements on the development of St. James’ STACK, presented by Sela will be made in due course.