Nottingham Forest debuted a range of upgrades at the City Ground on Saturday during its opening match of the season against AFC Bournemouth, with the redevelopment extending the stadium’s capacity to over 30,400.
Ahead of the match, Forest claimed that a record Premier League crowd could be welcomed to the City Ground. The crowd was just short of a record, with 29,763 fans coming through the gates, but a new attendance benchmark is likely to be set later in the season.
The multi-million-pound project is designed to enhance the guest experience for supporters and ensure the City Ground is capable of hosting events throughout the year.
One of the biggest investments was the introduction of safe standing, with 4,196 spaces installed in the Upper Bridgford Stand and Lower Bridgford Stand. Safe standing spaces have also been fitted in the away end of the stadium.
Forest also debuted two HD screens in the Trent End and Bridgford End. Extra seats have also been installed in the Peter Taylor Stand and in the lower tier and corners of the Brian Clough Stand, allowing more supporters to attend matches amid what the club described as an “incredible” demand for tickets.
The stadium fan zone, which is located behind the Brian Clough Stand, has also returned for the new season. The fan zone offers live music, street food and drinks, as well as guest experiences from former players.
Improvements have also been made to the City Ground’s hospitality facilities, while work is continuing on the Corner Box project, which will provide space for 180 additional hospitality guests in up-cycled sustainable containers between the Trent End and Brian Clough stands. The Corner Box is due to open in the autumn.
Last month, Nottingham City Council leader Neghat Khan announced that a deal had been agreed in principle for the sale of the land on which the City Ground sits to Forest, although the club clarified that it was continuing to work on the terms for a conditional deal.
Forest has previously detailed plans to expand the City Ground’s capacity to 40,000, but the club has been in dispute with the council over a lease deal for the stadium. The club has been considering building a new stadium in Toton, a village on the Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire border.
