A MULTI-MILLION pounds super stadium for Warrington is no longer just a dream after yesterday's announcement by Wilderspool chiefs.

Warrington Wolves' owners signed up with the nation's major stadium developers, Alfred McAlpine, this week to kick-start the project.

The 15,000 capacity venue will become home to the Super League club in time for the 2002 season, ending what will then be their 103-year run at Wilderspool Stadium.

In a massive boost to the club's budget, Alfred McAlpine, as well as building the state-of-the-art stadium, will be sponsoring the Wolves to a sum thought to be in the region of £.5m over three seasons, including the current one.

No site has yet been revealed for the £15m facility and the GUARDIAN has been told that several are in the running. However, Limekiln in Burtonwood and the former Carlsberg-Tetley land on Winwick Road are the two favourites.

Warrington Wolves' chief executive Peter Deakin said he hoped the site would be known and revealed by the end of the year.

Mr Deakin added: "Various sites have been considered. Obviously, it is important that McAlpine looks at all these sites to see which is the most beneficial to the parties concerned, which is delivering a stadium that everyone wants.

"We have discussed the potential for a 15-000 capacity stadium, a state-of-the-art facility, but the key thing is for the fans to know that this is definitely going to happen and that we are looking for the most beneficial site."

Alfred McAlpine has a wealth of experience in stadium development and is currently finishing off the JJB Stadium the company has built for Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic Football Club.

Warrington's stadium will not only host Super League matches as there will be other benefits for the general community to take advantage of. This will ensure commercial viability through everyday use of the Wolves' new home. These aspects of the plan are also expected to be revealed by the end of the year.

Norman Summers, director of financial operations for the Greenalls Group plc, was delighted with this week's partnership with the developers.

He spoke on behalf of the Wolves' owners, now named Warrington Sports Holdings, which is made up of Greenalls, Warrington Borough Council and prominent businessmen Bill Holroyd and Simon Moran.

Mr Summers referred to promises made by the shareholding group at the time of the takeover of Warrington Wolves last December, when the club was saved from voluntary liquidation.

He said: "We've achieved the refinancing of the club, we've achieved putting a top management team into place and now we've set the ball rolling for the new stadium.

"To that end we've entered into an agreement with McAlpine whereby the company will work in partnership with us to deliver the new stadium.

"This will ensure the management team will have the necessary resources with which to move the club on to the next plain."

He added: "The shareholding group are delighted with the management team which we've put in place.

"We consider in Peter Deakin we have a first class chief executive and in Darryl Van de Velde a top flight rugby manager. And, in particular, the performance of the team has been excellent.

"We consider the stadium proposals very exciting and the prospects of the club excellent."

Mr Deakin concluded: "We are very fortunate that first and foremost Greenalls have played a significant role in supporting the club substantially for the past eight or nine years. But Norman deserves a lot of credit for not only putting together the current shareholders, which rescued the club, but also for working so hard behind the scenes in terms of delivering Alfred McAlpine."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.