I'd quit speculating on how mergers and acquisitions, takeovers and leveraged buy outs, and venture capital works. It's a pointless exercise, and all you really need to know (or assume) is that having the right people helping makes it more likely the results will be better... It costs more, too, so they are going to want that back from all of us eventually!
No. Burns said that the American owners were interested in developing the KCOM. He mentioned the possibilities of casinos and hotels so not too big an assumption.
And he's been spot on with everything, hasn't he? Regardless, last I checked he never said the US owners were willing to work with the Council, just that they'd spoken to the Council. Allam spoke to the Council too.
It was Councillor Brady that said they'd met and the discussions were confidential. The council over the past few years have made a number of approaches to the Allams to develop the site, each one has been rebuffed. They are desperate to develop the area. Goldman Sachs have put together a number of public private partnerships which shows an indication that they would be prepared in principle to work with Hull City Council. The new leisure company can borrow money to put into any development. It could be that Goldman Sachs employ the tea lady to oversea the purchase of Hull City, but I don't think that is really plausible. Hull City have a stadium ripe for development and expansion. Goldman Sachs have the expertise and finance to achieve that. Could be all academic if he doesn't sell though.
There are opportunities to develop the site without a joint venture with HCC and I suspect it will happen regardless of who owns the club.
Guys, I don't post on here very often however as an ex Director Hull Forward/Hull City build (the old regeneration company for Hull) I think I need to clarify a few points that you are discussing, Re investors and investment into the site. It is not as simple as re-developing the ground and surrounding area, the land on on Walton Street is somewhat land locked and restricted in terms of its ability to bring forward large scale regeneration/development projects, due to major traffic flow concerns. Also, the local plan currently does not recognise developments of this nature outside of the city centre boundary therefore, it would be difficult to obtain planning due to a number of factors - for any investor. Originally the KC Stadium was designed with a Rail station this would have elevated traffic flow problems, however, due to the disruption it would have caused to Network Rail and the delay it would have had on the build on the KC Stadium it was not pursued. Adam Pearson was the first to discuss Casino's, Hotel's. Leisure facilities etc, and he was equally frustrated by the answer. Then the Allam' s come along with more or less the same offer but also requested a Public sector asset transfer (KC Stadium value 60-70m) they didn't want to purchase it, but said they wanted to develop a site that currently can't be developed??? Major long term Infrastructure improvements would have to be made before any perceived developments can move forward, and who pays for that, the Council and they have no money? This would also need to be supported in the local Planning framework which it currently isn't. So if our American friends think they've seen some a development others haven't they are going to be disappointed, lets hope their interests are in buying a great club with passionate fans? Certainly isn't straight forward unless the Council do a you u-turn, find some money and Planning amend its local framework?! Cheers AndyM
Just to be clear, when I say I think there will be development at the ground, I mean on the existing site, I don't see any likelihood of Walton Street being developed.
Interesting. Thanks for the insight. But the KC, which cost about £30 million out of the total £42million development cost, valued at £60-£70million? The evidence of the value compared to building costs when other stadiums have been sold suggests otherwise. In any case you would have had to have a queue of people competing to buy it to force the price up and then what? The council wouldn't have approved any sale which would have seen it demolished and the 2 clubs possibly put out of business. So, in reality, the value of the KC is very little. For reference look,at Leicester' stadium, which costs £37million, is newer and has a capacity 7,000 larger and what that went for.
"Major long term Infrastructure improvements would have to be made before any perceived developments can move forward". Why is this the policy now when it's obvious it wasn't when the stadium was built ?
Between the owner and some of the fans would have been more exact. As for the performance, am I mistaken in thinking that we got promotion from the toughest league to get out of with an excellent goals for and goals against record? To read some of the posts on here you'd think we'd had a really poor season!
If you didn't forget then it was a deliberate omission. The manager "not getting on with the owner" hasn't affected performance so far, nor has the manager walked away. If he does leave - for whatever reason - surely you'll be pleased in view of your previous postings re Steve Bruce?
Has any team ever got promoted to the top flight before and sold less season tickets than the season before? That encapsulates the relationship between the owners and fans?
You do realise you're about the only person on here who doesn't think it would be best for the club for the Allams to go immediately?
WUM. The fact that we missed out on Andre Gray was down to Ehab/the Allam's, it almost cost us promotion, and almost certainly cost us the Championship.
