How Wagner got the ball rolling on his city vision

Full steam ahead for £3bn Birmingham 'sports quarter'

- JANE HAYNES

THE idea of a wealthy foreign businessman using his money and power to access the highly-protected holders of high office to influence multi-million pound public spending decisions would normally send red flags waving.

But the devil is definitely in the detail.

In an exclusive conversation, Chancellor Rachel Reeves opened up to the Post about the backroom discussion she held with billionaire American Tom Wagner, chairman of Birmingham City FC and co-founder of hedge fund Knighthead Capital Management, ahead of last week’s major transport funding announcement.

She told how Wagner's ‘excitement’ over his proposed £3 billion sports quarter vision helped persuade her to unlock up to £400 million of public cash for a tram line from Birmingham city centre to the front door of the new venture, with money also to upgrade the existing railway station and platforms at Adderley Park, which sits at the north end of the site.

It’s a remarkable coup for Wagner, who has spent months personally lobbying the city council, commissioners, regional mayor Richard Parker and ministers to improve transport infrastructure to the 125 acre site in Bordesley Green, with the implied threat that he would pull his investment without their backing.