Newcastle Utd in 300 million pound development

LONDON (Reuters) - Newcastle United unveiled plans on Monday for a 300 million pound development of a hotel and conference centre around their St James' Park ground.

Called 'Number 1 St James' Park', the Premier League club said funding would be "completely independent of the football club's revenues" and could lead to the ground's capacity rising from 52,400 to a minimum target of 60,000.

Divided into three stages, the club said it was submitting a planning application for the first phase, which would involve building a 140-room hotel complex.

Phase two would cover the building of what the club called "superior apartments", while the "pinnacle of the development would be a purpose-built conference centre."

The ground expansion would come at the Gallowgate End, following developments at other Premier League clubs.

"Arsenal's move to the (60,000-seater) Emirates Stadium and Manchester United's expansion work (to 76,000) at Old Trafford have not gone unnoticed by Newcastle United," the club said in a statement.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd told the club's Web site (www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk): "What we are proposing is something not just for the football club but for the whole city and the people of Newcastle."