The New York Stock Exchange and Archipelago Holdings Inc. have filed a preliminary proxy statement setting out the case for their proposed merger.

The preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus on the proposed NYSE-Archipelago Holdings merger was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. While the more than 800 page document provides much more detail on the deal, and its history, as it’s preliminary it doesn’t include a final price on the deal, or a date for the shareholder votes to take place.

The document does include voluminous fairness opinions, and details some of the financial projections management is making for the combined company. They predict combined net revenues of US$1.55 billion in year ended December 31, 2006, rising to US$1.66 billion the following year, with combined net income of US$194.3 million in calendar 2006, rising to US$302.0 million in 2007.

NYSE members and Archipelago stockholders are expected to receive the final proxy statement and vote on the transaction later this year.