Morgan Sindall has been named as preferred contractor to build a new 5,500-seater stand at Wrexham AFC.
The non-league club, which is owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is aiming to start construction work on its new Kop stand by June.
Completion is planned for the start of the 2024/2025 season.
Plans to redevelop the Kop stand at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground were given the planning green light in November. The development will increase the capacity of the stadium from 10,000 to 15,500.
The contract value for Morgan Sindall has not been disclosed, although construction-data provider Glenigan estimates it to be £16m.
The scheme was dealt a blow last month when it emerged that it had missed out on the latest round of government Levelling Up funding.
Wrexham County Borough Council had submitted a bid for a reported £18m cash as part of a plan to allow the stadium to host senior Wales internationals and boost local infrastructure.
Shaun Harvey, strategic advisor to Wrexham AFC’s board, said while the decision was “disappointing” it was moving ahead with “plan B”.
He added: “With the support of the Gateway Partnership, Morgan Sindall have been appointed as the preferred contractor for the Kop development and they are now fully engaged with the project’s design team, to prepare for construction work to commence.
“The discussions around the funding options will progress over the coming weeks to find the best possible solution among the options available to us.”
Demolition work on the old Kop stand, which has been derelict for nearly 15 years, started last month, according to local media.
Hollywood actor Reynolds and McElhenney, creator and star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the longest-running sitcom in US TV history, took over the club in February 2021, which has also been the subject of a Disney+ fly-on-the-wall documentary Welcome to Wrexham.
Morgan Sindall and Wrexham AFC have been contacted for further comment.
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James Wilmore