Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have grand visions for the club’s stadium. The Red Dragons have seen significant growth since the Hollywood pair took over in February 2021.

The global attention brought by the takeover, coupled with the popularity of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, means home games at the Racecourse Ground are often sold out. As a result, the redevelopment of the stadium is a top priority for Reynolds and McElhenney.

There has been considerable progress in increasing the ground’s capacity in recent years, but there have also been challenges and delays. Here, The Mirror provides an update on the current state of the plans, including capacity, costs, and main issues.

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What’s the backstory to the stadium plans?

A new 5,500-capacity stand at the Kop end of the stadium has been proposed since before the new owners arrived. The original stand was closed in 2008 due to safety concerns, leaving Wrexham with a three-sided ground and a significant obstacle to accommodating more fans, reports Wales Online.

The plan to replace it was first announced in 2019 as part of the Wrexham Gateway project to revamp the Mold Road corridor into the city. The plans gained momentum once Reynolds and McElhenney took over, with the first design images of the new stand shared in June 2022.

Planning permission was granted by Wrexham Council in November of the same year, and the derelict structure was demolished in January 2023.

What have been the main setbacks?

The plans faced a major setback the same month as the demolition when the UK Government turned down a bid for up to £20 million ($25.8 million) to finance the scheme for the second time, raising fears it might completely derail the project. However, the council later announced it would redirect over £17 million ($22 million) of Welsh Government funds to support the proposals.

The club is also expected to chip in significantly for the development. With the finances secured, new floodlights were set up in summer 2023, with anticipation for work on the stand to begin soon.

The goal was to have the new Kop ready for the 2024/25 season’s kickoff, with an estimated construction period of 12 months. Yet, the summer ended with no further advancements, and in September 2023, Wrexham disclosed that the project had been paused due to several factors.

Key issues included meeting Uefa standards, rerouting a sewer, and eliminating an electricity cable from the site. Additionally, a lease held by the previous owners, the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust, needed to be relinquished.

Since then, what has transpired and what’s the latest?

In December 2023, the club erected a temporary stand at the Kop end to hold 2,309 fans. A more recent update in June stated that the permanent stand plans were being re-evaluated to “deliver the best possible fan experience”.

The capacity of the temporary stand at the Racecourse Ground has been expanded to host around 3,000 fans. While the blueprints for the Kop are still under wraps, Wrexham snagged Populous in October—the same architects behind Tottenham Hotspur’s swanky arena—to dream up a grand masterplan for their digs.

The fresh stand will boast safe standing zones, VIP spots, and accessible seating for all. An announcement let slip that it’ll be up by summer 2026, just in time for the UEFA European Under-19 Championship finals to roll into town.

So what’s next for the Racecourse Ground

Once they wrap up the Kop face-lift, Wrexham’s capacity will jump from a cozy 13,000 to a cool 15,000 seats.

McElhenney is shooting for the stars with dreams of a whopping 55,000 seats—but word on the street says a more realistic count post-renovation will land somewhere between 36,000 and 38,000 as they revamp stage by stage.

What does the club have to say?

Chief exec Michael Williamson said: “We are determined to ensure the new Kop stand and the future vision of the STōK Cae Ras satisfies the needs and expectations of our fans and the local community, and the appointment of Populous as architect for the redesign reflects that.”

“We appreciate the efforts of those who have worked on this project to date, allowing us to now focus our attention on the activation of areas within the new stand while remaining consistent with the capacity and volume that was previously presented.”

“We look forward to engaging with fans and the local community as plans and designs for the stand take shape, along with other stakeholders and strategic partners, including Wrexham County Borough Council, our Wrexham Gateway partners, Wrexham University, the Welsh Government, and the FA of Wales. This is an exciting time for the club, our supporters, and the city as we continue our upward momentum.”