Bournemouth CEO Gives Stadium Update as Everton Deadline Nears

AFC Bournemouth CEO and President of Business Operations Jim Frevola has provided a detailed update on the redevelopment of Dean Court, addressing supporter concerns over stadium readiness, sightlines, parking, atmosphere and the changes supporters can expect on matchdays.

Speaking on Back of the Net after giving a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, Frevola insisted the club is in "a good spot" as work continues ahead of the Everton fixture - while stressing that the wider redevelopment remains a project expected to continue for at least another year.

Frevola said the club’s immediate priority was ensuring everything considered "matchday critical" was ready in time, with the pitch, lighting, internal lounges and supporter access all progressing towards completion.

The new lighting in the corners was due to be installed over the weekend, while tarmacking around the stadium was also ahead of schedule. Inside, lounges were approaching the finishing stage, with flooring largely installed and furniture ready to be moved into place once areas were handed back to the club.

However, he was keen to manage fans' expectations over the appearance of the stadium.

"This will be a construction site for another year or two", Frevola admitted, explaining that the club had never expected every aspect of the redevelopment to be completed during one summer.

He added that supporters may look around the ground and feel there is still significant work to do, but said the development was always intended to be phased over a longer period. That reflects the wider redevelopment strategy, which has been planned across multiple phases while allowing Bournemouth to continue playing at Dean Court.

One issue raised by supporters concerns potential obstructed views in the south-east corner, particularly because of the existing roof structure and supporting stanchions.

Frevola revealed that some of the pillars and beams currently visible will be removed before the relevant areas are opened, with reinforcement work allowing the South Stand roof to remain supported.

He accepted that there could still be a small number of obstructed seats towards the back, but said these would be identified and sold accordingly.

"If you're just walking by and you're seeing that, you would have that opinion", he said, acknowledging why supporters may currently be concerned.

Bournemouth’s qualification for European football has added another layer of complexity to the redevelopment, with the club needing to ensure the stadium meets UEFA requirements as well as Premier League standards.

Frevola described the amount of additional work required as "staggering", revealing that changes had been necessary to areas including the tunnels, anti-doping facilities, match officials' spaces, pitch and LED perimeter infrastructure - which all have to be raised.

The positive news for supporters is that not every UEFA-specific requirement has to be completed before the opening Premier League fixtures. Nevertheless, Bournemouth are attempting to complete as much as possible early, with Frevola saying the club is working towards having the new LED installation and other required infrastructure ready around the start of the campaign.

One of the most significant changes to the matchday experience will be the opening up of the stadium perimeter.

Frevola confirmed that supporters will not be restricted to their individual stand concourses once inside the perimeter, meaning a fan entering through one area will be able to move around much more freely than before. Therefore, this will require an element of self-policing by supporters - to avoid fans a ticket for one stand to try and sit in another.

The exceptions will relate to sensitive areas around the technical zones, away section and required safety checks.

"The entire reason why we're doing this perimeter gate is to do exactly that", Frevola said.

The club also plans to open concourses three hours before kick-off, giving supporters earlier access to bars, toilets and other facilities.

Frevola believes the changes will encourage supporters to arrive earlier and spend longer around the ground, although he admitted the full vision will not be in place immediately.

More food and beverage outlets are expected to be added over time, with the club aiming to create a more "box park-like feel" around the stadium before a larger fan zone is eventually completed.

The south-east corner remains one of the areas where work is most visibly incomplete when it comes to the groundwork and turnstiles, and Frevola admitted that visiting supporters may initially face a different route into the stadium.

While the permanent arrangements are still being completed, away fans may temporarily be directed through alternative turnstiles - or be scanned in manually by stewards.

He expects the rear turnstile in that area to be ready shortly after the international break.

Frevola also addressed the changing arrangements around stadium parking. Both club car parks will now operate on a pre-booked basis, meaning supporters will no longer simply be able to drive up and park on the day.

The club has taken greater responsibility for managing the car parks as part of the redevelopment requirements, with additional staffing needed for several hours before and throughout matchdays.

Frevola also revealed that the club is working with its Disabled Supporters Association to introduce a 40% discount on accessible parking spaces, describing the announcement as something of a "breaking news" moment during the interview.

Meanwhile, the wider controlled parking zone proposed for surrounding streets is not expected to be introduced immediately. Frevola said the process was being led through the Transport Advisory Group and council arrangements, with implementation likely to remain some way off.

Perhaps the most interesting revelation for supporters concerned the atmosphere inside the redeveloped stadium. Frevola said Bournemouth are open to creating a dedicated singing section, but insisted the club wants supporters to lead the decision on where it should be located.

Discussions have already taken place with the Fan Advisory Board and the club's supporter experience and atmosphere group, with Frevola suggesting the South Stand could become a dedicated area if supporters collectively wanted to make the move.

He also revealed that a company was assessing whether the North Stand roof could support a mechanism for dropping a TIFO ahead of European fixtures.

“If they can, we want to do something like that,” he said.

Frevola added that he would like to see more flags, banners and supporter-led displays at Dean Court as the club attempts to build on the atmosphere generated in recent seasons.

Perhaps the central message from Frevola was a simple one: be patient. The CEO acknowledged that the redevelopment will cause inconvenience and that not every element of the matchday experience will be perfect immediately.

However, he defended the club's decision to continue operating the stadium rather than closing sections for extended periods.

Frevola pointed to the potential impact of closing the South Stand, which would have removed around 2,300 supporters, as an example of why Bournemouth have chosen to work around matchdays where possible.

"Even if you have to have a little bit of pain along the way, I think it's the right thing to do", he said.

Asked about the pressure of overseeing such a major redevelopment, Frevola admitted his stress levels were high.

Utilities, services and ensuring parts of the building are watertight remain among the biggest concerns as the deadline approaches, while the club also needs to complete power checks and final testing.

But despite the long days and what he described as "sucking down coffee", Jim remains confident. The pitch is ready, the key internal spaces are approaching completion and the club is now concentrating on the final elements needed to stage matches.

For supporters, the message is clear: Dean Court may not look finished when the season begins - because, by the club's own admission, it will not be. But Bournemouth believe the most important elements will be in place, while the transformation continues around them.

Frevola also addressed his relationship with supporters, admitting that the club has made mistakes but insisting he wants to engage with difficult questions rather than avoid them.

"I want people to ask me tough questions", he said, explaining that if he cannot answer something publicly, supporters are still welcome to approach him directly.

As Bournemouth enter a new era on and off the pitch, Frevola's message was ultimately one of reassurance: there may be disruption, there may be frustration, and there is still a huge amount of work to come - but the club believes the long-term result will be worth the temporary pain.