Develop the whole area into what ??
I know your taking the piss but, from memory, there was to be a shopping complex, offices to rent, leisure stuff, probably apartments, swimming pool etc etc. All the usual stuff. None of which was properly researched I would imagine, why would Hull want more shops ? But it was a plan of sorts to develop the area and bring in some more income streams for the club, not to mention the council in rates and jobs etc.
Remembering Adam Pearson has similar plans but on a smaller scale for an hotel and casino, none of which saw the light of day.
I've heard from good sources at HCC that Walton Street car park is not for sale despite a plan for a new school/hotel being drawn up for it a few years back and featured on the front page of the HDM, nothing has happened and probably never will. HCC apparently have no plans of their own for this area except preserving the Fair Ground.
My point is the club will never grow whilst we are hampered by not owning any bricks and mortar. The KC has served us, fc and the city well since it was built, that is without doubt, from all of the council projects funded by the KC telephone windfall the stadium must be one of the better one's. More was wasted on new roofs, central heating and double glazing for council houses which were bulldozed months later then the stadium cost to build.
But is that it ? Is nothing else going to be built around there, is the stadium to stay forever a 25,000 capacity ?
The second expansion was mentioned for the KC on the back of our promotion to the Premier League Councillor ****witt jumped up and said City haven't had a crowd over 30,000 since the 70's. Which was correct but the reason why was never explained, we couldn't get 30,000 in the old ground anymore because of restrictions on the capacity. No-one questioned or pulled him up over it.
When the Allam's do eventually sell up are we going to get the same straight bat refusal to cooperate from the council over ownership of the stadium and developing the area when the new owners ask the same questions ? Because if so I can see why no-one is busting a gut to buy us, what are they buying besides a load of players contracts and a bit of land down Millhouse Wood Lane ?
The rot set in when AA met Geraghty, a huge opportunity was lost for both club and city. I just wish it could have been different.