If you go on the OWS and click on 'Our History', the club is referred to by the author as 'Hull City' & 'City' for the vast majority of the text until you get post-Dowie.. start reading from there and it's all 'The Tigers'..
Wait, they updated the history bit on the OWS? Last time I checked it was about this time last year, and it had only gone up to about 2010
Sorry, Obi, but that is commercial nonsense. A confidentiality agreement would cover what is owned by the Allams, so the club and the SMC, I can'think of any reason to expand its beyond that. If they want to buy the stadium it has nothing to do with any Allams permission. If they buy the stadium then the SMC will stay with the club owners - them! Sometimes it is easier to find obstacles and reasons for something not to happen. The Chinese present on Saturday are heavily into property development; I think the clue is right there. What reason do you have for believing they do not want the stadium?
Havi having seen them Sat, I wonder if they'll be in place for the Man U game. Now that WOULD be a boost.
Make sure the studs are hammered in fully and that the nails are not protruding through the inner soles.
The confidentiality agreement will cover what the Allams put in it and what the Chinese agreed to. It may have covered talking to the council or it may not. Either way they don't seem that interested in talking to the Council. Personally I don't think them not talking to the council is a big deal. They could save £2 or £3 million a year by re-negotiating the lease and getting rid of the SMC. They would not be responsible for the stadium's upkeep, nor looking after the Airco and Hull FC, they'd just rent the stadium. They could negotiate an expansion which would be paid for by the Council, or more likely the Council's leisure company, and then agree an increased rent. Without Walton Street or part of West Park any expansion would not generate another £2 or £3 million a year income. The SMC pays next to no rent to Hull City Council, its making losses and those losses are funded by Hull City AFC. Since the Allams took over Hull City AFC have lent the SMC over £9 million after paying rent of over £4 million a year. Owning the freehold would mean instead of City lending the SMC the money they could borrow it from the banks and pay interest.
Borrowing money doesn't seem to be of interest to the Chinese at the moment. Their companies are awash with cash they're looking to invest abroad, should things in China go belly up.
You seem determined to invent scenarios that make no sense, other than to support your theories. Why would they have talked to HCC already? Do you really believe their negotiations would be so transparent and pre-emptive? You seem to rule out HCC upping the rent if new owners dodged SMC ownership, or if they bought the stadium they would have a development asset.
Its odd that the American bidders had been to talks with the council and yet the Chinese haven't, that makes me think this deal is not as near to a done deal as some think. It would be madness not to talk to the owners of the stadium before buying the club that plays there, irrespective of any plans or not to develop the stadium and surrounding areas.
If you insult 3 people with 1 post you get 5 points. If you prove OLM wrong in a post you get 3 points. If you get 5 likes with one post you get 2 points and if you are the new owner you get 1 point. The cycling commentators have made it perfectly clear but it may have been on the match thread.....
I don't believe the Chinese have spoken to Hull City Council. I don't think they have any intention of talking to them until they own the club and the SMC. I believe the negotiations with the Allams will be kept secret. We'll find out the end result when the deal is signed. I believe the same will happen when the Chinese talk to the Council. As for the rest: you asked me a question and I answered it.