Stadium Redevelopment / Relocation ?

carpon · 17-07-2007, 21:38

All this talk about Morecambe and their prospective new digs has got me wondering. Are we going to re-devop the Fraser Eagle or is all the recent talk about moving to a new site just pure speculation and rumour ??
The length of time it's taking to get a roof over our heads on the Clayton End makes me wonder about the long term strategy. Surely funding can't be an issue???(redeveloping F.E.S)I know there's supposed to have been some progress on the roof front, but there's also the police box issue (to which the club has been given 12 months grace)
And I may stand corrected, but won't the club now be entitled to financial help with any construction work on the F.E.S. via the football trust???

Kiwi John · 17-07-2007, 22:10

Speaking of roofs, is there any physical sign. yet ,(holes apart) that a roof IS going up,like pillars or summit?

John_Timmins · 17-07-2007, 22:26

apparently the builders are due to becoming back midweek

Zero · 17-07-2007, 22:36

When the Shrimps leave Christies we can move there and be the MB Stans

NOT

Kiwi John · 17-07-2007, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_Timmins

apparently the builders are due to becoming back midweek

Builders...the same worldwide ...

maccawozzagod · 18-07-2007, 17:34

I dont want a shiny new ground ta!!!!!

stanaccrington · 18-07-2007, 18:42

Quote:

When the Shrimps leave Christies we can move there and be the MB Stans

And we could all live in B & Bs and claim off the state.!!!!!

Wynonie Harris · 18-07-2007, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

I dont want a shiny new ground ta!!!!!

Me neither! You're welcome to your plastic, soulless, sterile, all-seater stadiums. Just get that roof up and I'll be happy in my Clayton End home!

Outback Ozzy · 18-07-2007, 19:23

Thing is - if we should ever get to the dizzy heights of Championship - its got to be all seater like or not. My opinion on this is lets get a new ground away from the residents - put terracing at both ends for now which can be converted to seating at a later stage if necessary. I personally think we are missing a trick or two here. My opinion (and it is mine alone) is that we are going to look like the poor relations of the basement league, which I do not believe we should be. We need seating on the Whinney Hill and if we must stay at the FES lets do a proper job on that stand and put the changing rooms underneath as well as some executive boxes to hire out to local businesses etc. This then means the police control could feasibly go in the changing rooms, alleviating the problem with residents etc.

carpon · 18-07-2007, 22:19

Good call Ozzy. The F.E.S., even after the roof goes up over the Clayton End (saw it with my own eyes on a flying visit today !!) will still probably be one of the worst grounds in the league. Intimidating,it may be,but the current site has it's drawbacks,namely:
It would probably cost a significant sum to develop the present site, i.e building a new Whinney Hill Stand.
The local residents have already objected and complained about the police box / facility.Can we honestly believe that they wouldn't object to further plans ?
Parking is a problem around the F.E.S. now.Should we progress to a higher level,it will become more of a problem,hence more complaints.
The place has served us well and I have many fond memories from there.But maybe (funding for a new stadium permitted) its time to move on.

maccawozzagod · 18-07-2007, 23:04

the answer will always lie with the Accy Amateurs ground adjacent. But nobody seems to know if it can be purchased or not. If you look at a google Earth image of the area that plot is bigger than ours! Would provide training facilities, a larger car park, community revenue opportunity etc etc

The cost of a new ground would be measured in millions (8-10?), developing the present ground to a high standard would be a max of £2m probab. Either way its money we haven't got so would only come from sugar daddy funding or the council coming on board massively - which a) wont happen and b) I don't want them to particularly.

Christies Child · 19-07-2007, 07:08

Funding of a new ground will always be an issue.

However we (MFC) intend to sell our present stadium (say £1 million) lease part of the proposed site to say fast food outlets (say £750K per annum) qualify for numerous grants by creating a development for use by the community (football in the community etc etc etc say a minimum of £1million from various grants now available) provide business areas / offices (total £500K rent per annum) incorporate a hotel into the development (say £250K per annum) sponsorship of the site (say £250K over 3 years) etc etc etc.

It's suprising how quickly the money stacks up to then being able to service a development loan and all this without the need for heavy investment by individuals.

The above figures are only assumptions based on knowledge of how other clubs have been able to develop new stadia and are therefore only examples.

A similar financial plan could quite easily deliver a new development at your place.....given the will and the ambition.

Redraine · 19-07-2007, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christies Child

A similar financial plan could quite easily deliver a new development at your place.....given the will and the ambition.

Great post, Christie - how about managing it for us?

Growler · 19-07-2007, 11:29

I'd like us to stay where we are geographically that is, not league position although are current position would be good at the end of the season! Talk of relocation always worries me as I think of the upheaval Bolton had when they moved from Burnden to another town...

MikeA · 19-07-2007, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christies Child

Funding of a new ground will always be an issue.

However we (MFC) intend to sell our present stadium (say £1 million) lease part of the proposed site to say fast food outlets (say £750K per annum) qualify for numerous grants by creating a development for use by the community (football in the community etc etc etc say a minimum of £1million from various grants now available) provide business areas / offices (total £500K rent per annum) incorporate a hotel into the development (say £250K per annum) sponsorship of the site (say £250K over 3 years) etc etc etc.

It's suprising how quickly the money stacks up to then being able to service a development loan and all this without the need for heavy investment by individuals.

The above figures are only assumptions based on knowledge of how other clubs have been able to develop new stadia and are therefore only examples.

A similar financial plan could quite easily deliver a new development at your place.....given the will and the ambition.

Thanks for all your advice. I'm sure that Eric will be on to it first thing in the morning!