But after 10 years of planning and building, the Saints chairman says this arena is what the club and the town have been waiting for.
“It is, dare I say, a great achievement and it’s been over a decade in the offing,” McManus continued.
“It’s been a very difficult process in the extreme and we’ve beaten the odds. We’ve done this at a time when no other sporting club in the country has been able to do so in this current economic environment.
“It’s now as good as complete and it’s a great lift for the club, the sport and most importantly for the town and the people of St Helens.”