Property developers- reap profits from redevelopment?

[Colin Todd]

The Madejski scenario would be fantastic if it were replayed in Swindon, but I can't see it happening unfortunately.  Madejski is, to all intents, a philanthropist with an attachment to the town of Reading.  He's made his money, and now he's spending it.  He was never seeking to make a profit there; rather, he was looking to create a legacy for himself...and he's certainly done that.

I agree with juddie that we shouldn't shoot this investment down in flames straight away.  But given that they are motivated by something other than a love of STFC, we will need to scrutinise everything they do.

Thing is with the Madjeski scenario, despite putting a lot of money in if he sold now he would make a profit. That may not have been his aim at the start but its happened now. And despite my dislike for reading fair play to him, he's done a cracking job of turning a 2-bit club into a club that will probablly establish itself in the premiership now. In fact the way Reading have done it is pretty much the model that other clubs aspire to

[WorcesterRed]

Why such negeativity regarding this? Can we not all give this thing a chance?

Not being negative as such but I wrote a while ago that if we think that someone is going to ride in on their shiny white horse, clear all of our debts, invest in the team to get us promoted and build us all a nice shiny new stadium all for their love of Swindon Town, I think a lot of people will be disappointed.

However, I stand to be corrected.

 :shake:

They were going to .. he was called Bill Power .. the fact that the Mikey D/Willses didnt sell to him says it all ...

What, Bill power the QPR fan doing it for his lifelong love of STFC?

I respect BP as much as the next town fan, but lets not start getting all misty eyed about him and pretending he is something he isnt. If he had taken over the club and been highly successful both with the team and stadium development do you not think he might have been tempted to sell for a profit?  Not that theres anything wrong with that at all

At least you were told about his intentions BEFORE any sale went through. Don't know if you have noticed but there has been absolutely NOTHING from the new people, before, during or after the sale of the club.

No wonder some are sceptical, myself included.

 :shock:

[herthab]

Why such negeativity regarding this? Can we not all give this thing a chance?

Not being negative as such but I wrote a while ago that if we think that someone is going to ride in on their shiny white horse, clear all of our debts, invest in the team to get us promoted and build us all a nice shiny new stadium all for their love of Swindon Town, I think a lot of people will be disappointed.

However, I stand to be corrected.

 :shake:

They were going to .. he was called Bill Power .. the fact that the Mikey D/Willses didnt sell to him says it all ...

What, Bill power the QPR fan doing it for his lifelong love of STFC?

I respect BP as much as the next town fan, but lets not start getting all misty eyed about him and pretending he is something he isnt. If he had taken over the club and been highly successful both with the team and stadium development do you not think he might have been tempted to sell for a profit?  Not that theres anything wrong with that at all

Good post Colin.

It amazes me that the people that are so anti everything else are prepared to take Bill Power purely on trust.

As to the firm that has links with property development, so what? They're a multi national firm with their fingers in a lot of pies.

2+2 = THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!

[pauld]

Look - this could turn out to be the best thing that happened to us, or it might not - right now none of us know the entirety of the deal and until then, we can not criticise. That's all I'm saying.

What juddie said. Let's at least find out what/who we're dealing with before we start sounding the klaxons and lighting bonfires on the hilltops. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be asking the questions, trying to find out everything we can, and sounding warnings re a Kassam-style deal but it's a touch premature to be coming out with this kind of stuff, Bart.

[wokinghamred]

What property development company?  Has something been confirmed this morning because I've seen no trace of a property evelopment company being mentioned before.

The only concrete ties to development is the Czech law firm that acted for the buyers and only then there usual remit is buying property abroad.


It's all utter shoite as they say in Ireland!    

 We are told that Arkaga has interests in property.

We ( or rather Mike D) may have sold our soul to the devil. We don't know we just have to wait and see.

But we do know we would never have ended up with a decent ground redeveopment with Mike D in charge.

I would much rather take my chances (or at least , live in hope) with a professional property developer.

The town of Swindon should be desperate for a decent ground redevelopment , and the CG is a prime opportunity for a decent gateway to the town. We may not get it but we stand a much better chance without Mike D and friends ( in fact we stand a chance, where we didn't before). And maybe this lot will actually talk to the council and try and find a way forward instead of just pissing them off.

And what makes people think these guys will just jump on the back of the plan that was in somebody's head. They've probably talked to Mike D and friends, realised that they are nothing but  a bunch of complete amateurs and forgotten about their plans already.

None of us know what will happen, but maybe at last we have a glimmer of hope.

COME ON YOU REDS !!

[Colin Todd]

Why such negeativity regarding this? Can we not all give this thing a chance?

Not being negative as such but I wrote a while ago that if we think that someone is going to ride in on their shiny white horse, clear all of our debts, invest in the team to get us promoted and build us all a nice shiny new stadium all for their love of Swindon Town, I think a lot of people will be disappointed.

However, I stand to be corrected.

 :shake:

They were going to .. he was called Bill Power .. the fact that the Mikey D/Willses didnt sell to him says it all ...

What, Bill power the QPR fan doing it for his lifelong love of STFC?

I respect BP as much as the next town fan, but lets not start getting all misty eyed about him and pretending he is something he isnt. If he had taken over the club and been highly successful both with the team and stadium development do you not think he might have been tempted to sell for a profit?  Not that theres anything wrong with that at all

At least you were told about his intentions BEFORE any sale went through. Don't know if you have noticed but there has been absolutely NOTHING from the new people, before, during or after the sale of the club.

No wonder some are sceptical, myself included.

 :shock:

I appreciate that some people will remain sceptical, I'm far from thinking everything is rosy and welcoming our new overlords with open arms, although giving Sturrock the funds to chase top quailty cattle is a good start. But we do need to know a lot more facts.

In all honesty there isnt much point in comparing the two scenarios. People can wish BP bought the club as much as they like, but it didnt happen and isnt going to. We have to deal with what has actually happened nof "what ifs"

[Phil_S]

As I've posted on another site, I've said all along it's got to be the ground redevelopment. It can't really be anything else. The problem I have is two fold. 1) This was set up by Diamandis, Wills (jnr) and chums, and as such has to be viewed with the utmost suspicion. (When did they last do anything right for STFC). 2) I can't see how or where they are going to have the size of development required to give the returns that their risk requires. Unlike Bill P,  and the fans consortium, they are probably not in it for the football. Bowden has already admitted that the TRUST plans were "flawed" because they didn't have enough housing (profits). But that is the only plan that is anywhere near acceptable for the local residents / Council etc. Covering the cricket club, and athletics track with houses isn't going to happen. So that leads us to look elsewhere, and we've already been to the Front Garden, and tip stad. The ONLY possible place I can think off is where the Bath Uni complex was planned. Failing that it's out off the borough, which is not a realistic option. My thoughts are that the new investors have been sold a pup, but given the time they spent in "due dilligence" I find that hard to believe too.
In short.. something doesn't add up.

[Reg Smeeton]

As I've posted on another site, I've said all along it's got to be the ground redevelopment. It can't really be anything else. The problem I have is two fold. 1) This was set up by Diamandis, Wills (jnr) and chums, and as such has to be viewed with the utmost suspicion. (When did they last do anything right for STFC). 2) I can't see how or where they are going to have the size of development required to give the returns that their risk requires. Unlike Bill P,  and the fans consortium, they are probably not in it for the football. Bowden has already admitted that the TRUST plans were "flawed" because they didn't have enough housing (profits). But that is the only plan that is anywhere near acceptable for the local residents / Council etc. Covering the cricket club, and athletics track with houses isn't going to happen. So that leads us to look elsewhere, and we've already been to the Front Garden, and tip stad. The ONLY possible place I can think off is where the Bath Uni complex was planned. Failing that it's out off the borough, which is not a realistic option. My thoughts are that the new investors have been sold a pup, but given the time they spent in "due dilligence" I find that hard to believe too.
In short.. something doesn't add up.

    :goodpost:

[janaage]

At  times we do seem to have a number of fans who take up the

"this is a local club, for local people" kind of attitude, which is worrying.

[WorcesterRed]

At  times we do seem to have a number of fans who take up the

"this is a local club, for local people" kind of attitude, which is worrying.

Why?

 

[janaage]

Because it makes the club look like the majority of our support wouldn't look out of place in Royston Vasey.

[WorcesterRed]

Because it makes the club look like the majority of our support wouldn't look out of place in Royston Vasey.

Still don't get your point - are you ambivalent to a move to Chippenham then?

Are you saying that people shouldn't worry if the Club decided to move?

Swindon >  :run: > Chippenham

[yeo]

Because it makes the club look like the majority of our support wouldn't look out of place in Royston Vasey.

Get yourself on the Supporters Bus trip to Hartlepool,it will confirm you fears

[The_Plagiarist]

At  times we do seem to have a number of fans who take up the

"this is a local club, for local people" kind of attitude, which is worrying.

Surely that's exactly what STFC is? That's what I see it as anyway, a local football club for the local community and surrounding areas?

[herthab]

At  times we do seem to have a number of fans who take up the

"this is a local club, for local people" kind of attitude, which is worrying.

Surely that's exactly what STFC is? That's what I see it as anyway, a local football club for the local community and surrounding
areas?

Does that mean I'm no longer welcome?