The final piece of the enormous puzzle was lowered into place on the east stand, marking the completion of 18 months of complex work that began with laying the first concrete terrace in August 2022.

Structurally complete

Gareth Jacques, project director at Laing O'Rourke, confirmed: Structurally, that is the stadium bowl complete. When you consider that alongside the terracing, the team have also done the structural steel and precast concrete in the four stands, it is a fantastic achievement. Each of the terrace modules weighs just under 9.5 tonnes on average and has been secured with high-strength tape. They also need to be sealed with a special compound. There are a total of 33 km of sealing in the Everton Stadium bowl.

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Innovative methods

As part of the work, 1988 two-stage units were also installed on schedule. They range in length from 0.73 m to 14 m, and their installation represents a first for Laing O'Rourke, as they opted for two-stage blocks due to several key factors. The double-step terrace significantly reduces the number of required lifts and shortens the construction time. They also help in weather protection, as during the construction of a football stadium, all internal works and fittings typically occur beneath the terrace, making weather protection crucial. Currently, polished aluminum panels are also being installed, creating the distinctive barrel vault cladding of the structure.

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What's new?

Everton has released a video via their YouTube channel showcasing the current progress on the construction site. It can be viewed here.

In recent days, it has also been reported that the investigation into the death of 26-year-old Michael Jones, who died while working on the Everton stadium in August last year, is being taken over by the Health and Safety Inspectorate.