If all options are exhausted and no expansion possible… and the choice is.. stay at current capacity or build 80,000… the latter will win out…
Honestly think if that happens they'll knock down and rebuild on current site. Problem with that is where the hell do we play in the mean time? Only options realistically would be ground sharing with Mackems and other alternative would be Murrayfield.
Problem will be Lease Terrace and the planning restrictions about natural light for the properties. Even if you knock it down and start from scratch there will still be issues regarding the planning. I mean they could just buy the terrace and move it elsewhere brick by brick they are so rich but the simplest solution is just to build a new one. TBH the Utlitia site is still very central in the city (both Utlitia and SJP are 0.6 miles from the station on google) but wouldn't be the same as the cathedral on the hill. Personally would rather stay at SJP and expand it to 60-65k but the owners will want to maximize all revenue streams and if they can't get what they want we will be on the move If they can get sat 65k expansion then we might be alright but if they want 70-80k to games we'll have to move! 15k more @SJP x £40 a ticket 15k x £40=£600k per home game (x19 home games = £11.4m) 30k more @ New SJP x£40 = £1.2m per game. (x19 = £22.8m)
that’s why the arena space is ideal. It’s a 10 min walk (or 30 for tubbs) and you can build it and keep SjP open. We need to cut the umbilical chord of sentimentality. The owners will do all they can to stay at SJP but I see the inevitability of a super stadium close by.
This, as much as I want to stay at SJP, I just can't see it and already emotionally preparing myself for a long goodbye. Would be immense to see a trophy paraded around the ground though before we go. Urgh can you imagine.... I'm not crying, you are!
