This thread hasn't seen any updates in a while and a lot has happened....
A new article about the new Wembley
"When Football's Coming Home became the anthem for Euro 96, it was precisely 10 years ahead of its time. We didn't know it then, but we do now. Home, in 1996, was Wembley. A crumbling old pile that was unworthy of the events it staged. In 2006, home will again be Wembley, a new arrival which already makes the old ground look like a bicycle shed."
"To stand here is to be convinced that Wembley will be regarded by historians as the first English cathedral of the 21st century."
"Below is the pitch area, the focus of 90,000 seats. Soaring 133 metres above it is the arch, the single feature which unlocked the ambition of faultless sightlines with reduced structure, and gave the building its unique character. The arch bears most of the weight of Wembley's twin roofs, so clearing the way for those unparalleled views of the pitch below. The arch carries a mighty 7,000 tons and the roofs cover 11 acres. The roof on the south side of the stadium will slide open to admit sunlight and air to the pitch. But Wembley is more than a football stadium. It will stage athletics, rock concerts and banqueting, so it also houses the four biggest restaurants in London."
""Wembley is a first in all kinds of ways. The new ground will be unique. At 90,000 all-seater capacity, it will be the largest stadium in the world which has a roof over every seat. And with its capacity for rock concerts and with its huge catering facilities it provides entertainment beyond any previous scale."
"It's the size which is the most extraordinary thing about Wembley, along with the arch. In terms of its floor area and facilities, this ground is going to be much, much bigger than anything, anywhere. And the arch . . . well, that just hits you in the heart. It has given me intense enthusiasm and passion. Once it was up, it gave the whole project an enormous boost. Seeing it there gave us all the enthusiasm to work the extra hours to solve the other problems as they came along."
more photos