Man United icons unveil details of showpiece project backed by Beijing investment

Details of a multi-million US dollar scheme planned by former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs were revealed Thursday.

The football stars-turned businessmen head a partnership which has won backing from the Beijing Construction and Engineering Group International (BCEGI).

Stunning images show how a large area of Manchester city center will be transformed by the St Michael' s Partnership, led by Neville and Giggs.

A partnership which includes United legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs has unveiled the first images of its 700,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme in Manchester city center.

The St Michael's Partnership plans to build a 200-room five-star hotel in a 31-storey tower, apartments and a 21-storey top-grade office building along with shops leisure space and two new sky bars/restaurants.

Neville, who is a director of Jackson' s Row Developments, said: "Our vision is to deliver the biggest statement in architecture and development that Manchester has seen in modern times.

"Our wish is for St Michael' s to become the premier destination in the city that people come to enjoy all year round.

"Through the provision of three stunning new public spaces, St Michael' s Square, The Steps and The Garden, we' re committed to bringing back to life such a key, underused area of the city."

Neville, using football terminology told local media in Manchester Thursday: He said: "To finally be here and to announce what we' re doing and what our plans are - I am excited. But now it gets real. The game has just started, if you like. The past nine years have been pre-match and now the game' s on and we have to deliver." He said following the vote by Britain to leave the EU he travelled to China and Singapore to meet the project's investors.

He told the Manchester Evening News: "I travelled over to Singapore and had a meeting with our Chinese partners and our local partners as well and I suppose in some ways we had a decision to make: do we go or do we stop. Their message was the same as well. We cannot, at this moment in time, blink.

The project will feature three brand new public spaces, one linking the development to the civic heart of the city close to the historic town hall.

The St Michael's Partnership, formed by Neville, Giggs and business partner Brendan Flood, has joined BCEGI as well as Singapore company Rowsley, and Manchester City Council to bring forward the plans.

BCEGI said: "We are an active equity and construction partner in St Michael' s, one of Manchester city center' s newest mixed-use developments.

"Working in close partnership with Rowsley and The Jackson' s Row Development Partnership (owned by Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Brendan Flood), we own a 21 percent stake in the 200 million pounds (264 million U.S.dollars) regeneration scheme, which is considered by many as a ground-breaking project for the city center."

Rowsley' s managing director for real estate, Ho Kiam Kheong, said: "The focus for the St Michael' s development is to provide world class accommodation and a high quality public realm for those working, living and visiting Manchester.

"Today marks a milestone for the team behind this development as it is the first time we are making the plans available for public view and releasing an early set of images to showcase our vision."

A public consultation exhibition will take place in Manchester at the beginning of September.

BCEGI is a major investor in Airport City, a massive project alongside Manchester Airport costing more than 1 billion U.S.dollars. Endit