Arsenal's half year turnover soars to 100 million pounds

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) Arsenal's turnover soared in the half-year to November 30, rising from 57 million pounds (1.1 million) to 100.8 million pounds.

The Premier League club said today that the increase was due to higher gate and match-day revenues at their new Emirates Stadium, plus the sale of a property development site at Drayton Park.

''The Emirates Stadium project had an objective of providing Arsenal with the financial strength and resources to compete at the very highest level in all competitions,'' chairman Peter Hill-Wood told the club's Web site (www.arsenal.com).

''I believe the results for the group's first period in its new home demonstrate that we have already achieved this milestone.'' REUTERS PM BD1527