County Ground redevelopment

[Red Frog]

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10341~1808252,00.html

Interesting last sentence crept in here. Looks like it's lifted straight from the Bristol bid document, but it's presented like a fait accompli. More details please Mr F.

[Rich Pullen]

Agreed. But it's all hypothetical though isn't it.

It's an reasonably interesting quote but I doubt we'll get much more quotes from it.

Interesting and good to see that we're trying to get in on Bristol's 2018 bid. I didn't know this before that article.

[Summerof69]

The lease at the CG runs out in March 2013, so things will have to be decided well before then.

I believe there has been discussions about redevelopment between the club and the council, but how far that as gone I do not know. Maybe a question can be asked at the forthcoming AGM.

[STFC_Gazza]

Capacity to be increased to 25,000 ..........

[Simon Pieman]

The lease at the CG runs out in March 2013, so things will have to be decided well before then.

I believe there has been discussions about redevelopment between the club and the council, but how far that as gone I do not know. Maybe a question can be asked at the forthcoming AGM.

Has a date been set for the meeting?

[Doore]

Capacity to be increased to 25,000 ..........

Just what we need - more empty seats.

[Red Frog]

Just what we need - more empty seats.

which is what the Elm Park 4000 must have said. All depends what other income-raising plans go alongside it. The discussions must be pretty advanced if they're aiming to have the redevelopment in place by 2013. Unless of course this is promotional hot air to support the Bristol bid...

[Ardiles]

Other clubs have shown that just about any ground development does bring a benefit in terms of attendances - so I would not be too concerned about empty seats if we went to 25,000 capacity (although, yes, there would be a few.)

I, for one, would be genuinely excited by the prospect of a smart, redeveloped and extended ground on the current site.  Many clubs have gone down the redevelopment route but few have been able to remain in a town centre location.  Imagine a ground on roughly the scale of the Madejski - and with the same visual impact - but within walking distance of town (ie near pubs, not DIY superstores).  That would be fantastic.

[Barry Scott]

To go slightly off topic, i note the other day that the strange looking Franchise chairman wants to increase his stadium to 43,000 for the world cup so they can host matches...

[DiV]

Re-development has been talked about so many times that I just dont believe a word of it anymore.

I think I'll believe it when I'm sitting in it.

[Doore]

 may be being over-cynical or negative, but I do worry about whether the town can now really support a side capable of filling a larger ground, even in the long-term.  There has seemed to me, over the past decade or so, a very strong apathy in the town towards the team.  Of course there are those of us who love the club, but can the area really support a big football club?  On the flip side, this may be as a result of the team's performance over that period. 

It may be a case of if you build it, they will come.  If it happens, I will be hoping that our story mirrors that of Reading, not (different story, I know) Darlington.

[Ardiles]

may be being over-cynical or negative, but I do worry about whether the town can now really support a side capable of filling a larger ground, even in the long-term.  There has seemed to me, over the past decade or so, a very strong apathy in the town towards the team.  Of course there are those of us who love the club, but can the area really support a big football club?  On the flip side, this may be as a result of the team's performance over that period. 

It may be a case of if you build it, they will come.  If it happens, I will be hoping that our story mirrors that of Reading, not (different story, I know) Darlington.

You're absolutely right - but think about what has been going on off the field during the last decade.  This was the decade during which the club was mismanaged to a shocking degree.  This filtered through to the support which was, pretty much, whittled away to its hard core.

Can the town support something better than this?  Emphatically yes.  Stability off the field and a little investment will reap impressive rewards in the medium term.

[DiV]

but think about what has been going on off the field during the last decade. 

how many of the floaters, part timers, stay away fans - whatever you want to call them will have a single clue about what was going on off the field?

at a guess I'd say most of them knew very little.

the reason they no longer go to games or stopped going was because the team was shit and falling down the leagues.

we can change the board, the players, the stadium, the hotdogs, the ticket prices - the only way to get more fans in is on pitch success.

[Summerof69]

Has a date been set for the meeting?

It has, but I cannot remember the date (I think it's a Thursday night). It was in the Colchester programme.

[Batch]

Has a date been set for the meeting?

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10341~1799692,00.html

Tuesday 20th October at 6.30pm in the Legends Lounge.

Does anyone know if the share consolodation happened (10 for 1). I don't know if I can attend as I own(ed) a solitary share, and so would not be eligable if it has.
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Doore, I think it is spot on to be cautious. On one hand we have Swansea, Reading, Hull, etc. On the other hand we have Bradford, Darlington, etc.

BUT

It isn't just the match day revenue/filling empty seats. It's about 7 days a week revenue. If a redevelopment means more money coming into the club from outside of match day then great! Even if we have lots of space on a mtch day for a while