The stadium is owned by Manchester City Council and leased by the football club on a 'fully repairing' basis.
All operating, maintenance and future capital costs are borne by the club; who consequently receive all revenues from stadium users.
The 2008 takeover made the football club one of the wealthiest in the world, prompting suggestions that it could consider buying the stadium outright.
Manchester City signed an agreement with Manchester City Council in March 2010 to allow a £1 billion redevelopment led by architect Rafael Viñoly.

During the 2010 closed season the football pitch and hospitality areas were renovated, with a £1 million investment being made in the playing surface so that it is better able to tolerate concerts and other events without damage.
In October 2010, Manchester City renegotiated the stadium lease, obtaining the naming rights to the stadium in return for agreeing to now pay the City Council an annual fixed sum of  £3 million where previously it had only paid half of the ticket sales revenue from match attendances exceeding 35,000.
This new agreement occurred as part of a standard five-year review of the original lease and it amounts to an approximate £1 million annual increase in council revenues from the stadium.

During 2011–14, the club sold all 36,000 of its allocated season tickets each season and experienced an average match attendance that is very close to its maximum seating capacity (see table in previous section).
Consequently, during the 2014–15 season, an expansion of the stadium was undertaken.
The South Stand was extended with the addition of a third tier which, in conjunction with an additional three rows of pitch side seating, increased stadium capacity to approximately 55,000.
Construction commenced on the South Stand in April 2014 and was completed for the start of the 2015–16 season.

A final phase of expansion, which received planning approval at the same time as the others but remains unscheduled, would have added a matching third tier of seats to the North Stand.
In November 2018 the club consulted with season ticket holders on possible alternative configurations for this expansion; including proposals for a still larger two-tier North Stand without executive boxes or corporate hospitality lounges, and possibly with areas convertible to safe standing.
 The full length of the second tiers in the East and West stands would then be reconfigured as premium seating associated with new hospitality bar areas.
 Depending on the preferred design option, this final phase could bring the stadium's total seating capacity up to approximately 63,000, making the Etihad Stadium the nation's third largest capacity club ground.
Behind Old Trafford and (potentially) the London Stadium, but marginally greater than Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The stadium is owned by Manchester City Council and leased by the football club on a 'fully repairing' basis. All operating, maintenance and future capital costs are borne by the club; who consequently receive all revenues from stadium users. The 2008 takeover made the football club one of the wealthiest in the world, prompting suggestions that it could consider buying the stadium outright. Manchester City signed an agreement with Manchester City Council in March 2010 to allow a £1 billion redevelopment led by architect Rafael Viñoly.
During the 2010 closed season the football pitch and hospitality areas were renovated, with a £1 million investment being made in the playing surface so that it is better able to tolerate concerts and other events without damage. In October 2010, Manchester City renegotiated the stadium lease, obtaining the naming rights to the stadium in return for agreeing to now pay the City Council an annual fixed sum of  £3 million where previously it had only paid half of the ticket sales revenue from match attendances exceeding 35,000. This new agreement occurred as part of a standard five-year review of the original lease and it amounts to an approximate £1 million annual increase in council revenues from the stadium.
During 2011–14, the club sold all 36,000 of its allocated season tickets each season and experienced an average match attendance that is very close to its maximum seating capacity (see table in previous section). Consequently, during the 2014–15 season, an expansion of the stadium was undertaken. The South Stand was extended with the addition of a third tier which, in conjunction with an additional three rows of pitch side seating, increased stadium capacity to approximately 55,000. Construction commenced on the South Stand in April 2014 and was completed for the start of the 2015–16 season.
A final phase of expansion, which received planning approval at the same time as the others but remains unscheduled, would have added a matching third tier of seats to the North Stand. In November 2018 the club consulted with season ticket holders on possible alternative configurations for this expansion; including proposals for a still larger two-tier North Stand without executive boxes or corporate hospitality lounges, and possibly with areas convertible to safe standing.  The full length of the second tiers in the East and West stands would then be reconfigured as premium seating associated with new hospitality bar areas.  Depending on the preferred design option, this final phase could bring the stadium's total seating capacity up to approximately 63,000, making the Etihad Stadium the nation's third largest capacity club ground. Behind Old Trafford and (potentially) the London Stadium, but marginally greater than Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
City of Manchester Stadium