I see Liverpool have announced that they are to redevelop Anfield rather than build a new stadium. Could involve compulsory purchase of property including houses. Why don't City now decide to go that route instead of all this time wasting with village greens? If we could compulsorily purchase the houses behind Atyeo stand, we could get a 50,000 stadium ready for when DMc gets us to the Prem!
What about the people that live there,personally would love to develop AG it is citys home, Not fussed about moving up the road.
Yes that's what I thought but there is one big difference. In Liverpool the council will help it to happen. In Bristol?
Living so far away as I do leaves me somewhat out of touch with the local issues involved in the issue of Bristol City's home for the future. To me it makes sense to forget about the Ashton Vale saga and the never ending legal wrangling that continues ad nauseum because the only people who will come of the whole affair smiling are the lawyers. They are like football agents who have no interests other than their own financial enhancement. So let's get back to the option of improving Ashton Gate to a complete stadium rather than let's add a bit here now and over there sometime later - get the picture? Surely someone out there has the design capabilty of producing a set of drawings (old tech I'm afraid) that could be visited and determined as to whether it has viabilty. From my limited memory there is enough available space in the immediate surroundings of our existing stadium that could offer the chance to upgrade without breaking the bank. Has anyone ever counselled the local residents as to their thoughts and concerns regarding the possibilty of redeveloping the stadium and how the process would affect their lives. Quite frankly living behind the Atyeo Stand holds no romance for me, despite being a rabid City fan, and if I was offered the chance to move at someone elses expence I would bite their hand off. Common sense seems to be fast disappearing from football and although a brand new stadium appears on the surface to be a good thing I think a lot of us old timers would prefer a redeveloped status quo - so to speak. Ashton Gate leaves a lot to be desired and how nice it would be to go and visit my footballing mecca complete with a double decker stand surrounding the entire pitch. Just my thoughts! Lot more to it I'm sure but we are progressing on the alternative at a snail's pace.
As a side note I did see some preliminary sketches on 606 of how Ashton Gate could look with some modifications. They looked pretty good and if I remember correctly it meant re-orientating the pitch from it's current position. Is that idea so off base that it could not be revisited?
Another idea is to invite 100 City supporters from all generations to spend a day at AG with the powers that be and discuss the project. Only those with working brains should be invited (that should start another discussion) because after all we are the clubs future and should be consulted. What do you think SL and DM?
I would not be happy for my club to compulsory purchase anyone's property. If we do redevelop the Gate, I would have thought the East End would be the first thing to re-build (wasn't that the plan a few years ago?) Then we could do the Williams next
Council have fully backed move to ashton vale and used council tax payers money to do it. Council have been very supportive and also sold land to the club..No reason why they would not support a redvelopment of ashton gate. SL may not want it as ashton vale would be built with busness partners not part of the club??? Hotels etc are part of ashton vale and the site is much bigger than ashton gate add the rugby club, south bristol ring road if approved it would be much more than football ground because development around that area wont be stopping there.
Cant we make it into a bowl shaped ground, have it all the same hight as the dolman, it would easily add 15k+ and could be added too if need be
ST survey said a bowl is what fans do not want at ashton vale neither would many at ashton gate either i would expect . At ashton gate there are height restriction on the two ends of the stadium but the move is not about capacity it is about extra space for hotels banqueting suites franchise outlets ??? that type of thing. Adding capacity to ashton gate would not be that hard but it is not what Mr Lansown and his business partners appear to want.
think you'll find most off the houses around anfield, are empty and derelict, those that are occupied, have owners holding out for the highest price, a totaly different proposition to ashton gate,
There appears to be confusion re Ashton Vales purpose. Ashton Gate did have planning permission for a two stand development - Eastend/Williams taking capacity to around 28000. This project has been totally abandoned in favour of something, that will create a stadium with in the region of 30000 seats, at a considerably higher cost. The aesthetics, atmosphere, community setting of Ashton Gate are secondary to the footprint Ashton Vale represents for revenue creation to those financing the build.
We also need to ask why we're getting a new ground. We've certainly not outgrown Ashton Gate, so there must be another reason. Why yes! Facilities! We need a larger ground with better facilities for the fans. SL wants a good ground with commercial facilities to increase profit and the likelihood of investment. Frankly, the idiots at Ashton Vale have pissed us off enough that I hope SL takes it as a personal matter and pushes for a new stadium for as long as it takes, and when we get that stadium I hope the builders are really ****ing noisy.
Dont forget one major thing..........the sale of Ashton Gate to Sainsbury's to finance a large part of the proposed move. We can't sell it if we are going to re-develop it! No idea of the cost of doing up the gate, but would Sir Steve front the money still?
The people living round Ashton Vale have been there for decades and thopught they were living next to a green belt. Many of these people are elderly and deserve more respect than being called idiots. Expect the stadium to get built because that the way things go now dont kid ourselves it has nuch support round there at all. remeber the Bristol united posters?? Fell flat on its arse and hardly seen one around bs3. Ashton gate will get sold for twenty million. That leaves another eighty million to raise. Doubt that the money this stadium will be going to city 100%.
He was not going to pay for it before if I recall. That can be done via numerous means i.e loans, sponsorship, links to buisness partners/franchises ... There are numerous means. I have seen a quote I think I saw that the naming rights stadium [sponsored stadium = income] will cost one hundred and five million pounds. I would expect that BCFC will not own the stadium, and that Steve Lansdown will not pay for it either, so who will pay for the enormous shortfall and who will own the assets on site and revenue created! Can's see any fan being itk enough to know the answer.
