New Stadium

[kaizen]

Found the following posted on the 'Kent News' site:

 

"Three sites in the hat to be Fleet's new home

 

THREE more sites have become available for Ebbsfleet United

[Harry J Allstars]

Originally Posted By: fleetzone

The next meeting discussing the new stadium will be in October."

What year?

[kaizen]

Good question!

[ahsatan]

Kings Farm looking favourite !! Just imagine the look on opposition players faces when they drive through the estate,wont want to get off the coach ! 3 points every home game !!

[BustaGut]

I hope not, will hand in my season ticket, I wont be able to afford to keep replacing my car, each time it,s stolen.

[kaizen]

Don't worry - I think I've managed to secure a number of armoured personnel vehicles.....

[Harry J Allstars]

Originally Posted By: BustaGut

I hope not, will hand in my season ticket, I wont be able to afford to keep replacing my car, each time it,s stolen.

Yeah, cars never get stolen or broken into in Wallace Park.

[ahsatan]

Harry, you wont have no trouble there provided you keep weasring those attractive steel toecapped boots that look so lovely with your suit !!!

[BustaGut]

Originally Posted By: Harry J Allstars

Originally Posted By: BustaGut

I hope not, will hand in my season ticket, I wont be able to afford to keep replacing my car, each time it,s stolen.

Yeah, cars never get stolen or broken into in Wallace Park.

Having never parked in Wallace Park I would not know, but I guess that's what happens, when you have parked your little red pedal car there :)So I will heed your advice

[Hempstead Gaz]

I'm a little unsure how these feasability studies work - but I presume they cost money, from surveyors fee, to architects and solcitors as well. 3 studies will cost a deal of money.A further 3 clouds the issue and will surely double the original budget.

Whilst the 'best' site might be one of the 3 new ones, what really is needed is the quickest build -with best available infrastructure, within a budget that is affordable.

Paying for 3 further studies reduces money available and increases the time until the stadium will be completed.

I have no doubt the club could debate for years about what is the best, but we have already missed the boat for the olympics, local stadia and sports venues have already been chosen.

I do not wish to sound negative, and I am aware that Mr Kilcullen is working hard behind the scenes, but is anyone confident that a final decision on location of the ground will be made this year, let alone more complex detail of the final build?

[BustaGut]

The chances are, that with the restraints that the club have. I suggest we may have exactly the same surroundings as we have now, for a little while yet.

[Hempstead Gaz]

We still have about 18 years to go on the 20 year lease - why do the board not consider upgrading Stonebridge Road? It would need a new main stand and covered end, but if built properly could it not include a small 'entertainment' venue with capacity of 500 or so so provide additional income stream.

Put 2 bars (1 for home, 1 for away) at the west end of the main stand and presto, a good matchday income sream there too.

Wishful thinking.

[bsmith]

I thought we had about 7 years left, doesn't it run out in 2015?

[jc]

The rent-free lease was agreed in 2005, so it runs to 2025.

[bsmith]

Ah, the guy who told me that must have been wrong then.

 

I agree with Gary, I'd prefer to see Stonebridge Road upgraded, certainly is capability there. There's ample space for expansion in the ground.

[kaizen]

Upgrading Sonebridge Road surely has to be the best financial option, plus it allows the club more time to sort out a decent stadium when the lease draws to a close.

 

Unless the landlords want to make us a very good offer to leave beforehand...

[Hempstead Gaz]

Looking more closely at redeveloping Stonebridge Road, I can seen plenty of bonuses.

*Close proximity to Ebbsfleet Stn

*= more liklihood of a prolonged sponsorship from Eurostar.

* Ideal car parking, so long as we can keep the deal going.

*Good bus links from Gravesend, Northfleet and Dartford.

*Can redevelop the ground as/when it can be afforded

* good domestic rail links

*Much cheaper option, will put the club at less financial risk.

 

I am not against the new ground build, but now the initial excitement has worn off, I can see there are plenty of financial pitfalls for a club of our size in having a new stadium, at massive (relative) cost which will only be met if the club continues to increase it's fanbase and progress in the league.

The question could arise in the future, "what will happen if we get relegated, and return to gates of 600"?

[Dave EUFC]

But where would the funding come from if we were to redevelop Stonebridge Road? We all know how long it took to do the Plough End after it was closed. The club are more likely to secure funding for a brand new venture as it would be percieved that there would be more capability for making money. I love stonebridge road as much as the next person but it isn't sustainable if we want to progress as a club. Here are the negatives to redeveloping stonebridge road.

 

1. The existing stands that may be earmarked for redevelopment would have to be demolished, that will cost money.

 

2. Depending on the specifications of the redevelopment existing foundations may not be suitable and may have to be dug out for new ones to go down.

 

3. There really isn't the space. Theres no space to redevelop the Stonebridge road side, the main stand has limited space behind it meaning any redevelopment would only be on a slightly larger scale. The basic plans released show what the club are looking for. The existing site at Stonebridge Road just isn't big enough.

 

4. Construction time frame, moving to a new ground would enable the club to carry on playing at Stonebridge Road rather than find temporary accomodation whilst building work is taking place. The amount of redevelopment the club would want to undertake if they stayed at stonebridge road would severely disrupt the club. The work wouldn't be able to be done during the off season as the amount would be too great. This would maybe one stand being done at a time, this again would increase the construction time frame plus costing more money.

 

Hope that makes sense as i do tend to waffle alot but the main point is that staying at Stonebridge Road just isn't sustainable if the club wants to progress.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Your waffling is fine, Dave, I enjoy a good debate, without the vitriol.

As you say, a new build will be more lucrative to new investors, but as always, it will come at the price of having to keep progressing at the rate we have done over the last 2 years, with a sready and continuous increase in gates.

With a new groundwith a capacity of, say 6,000- 8,000, relagation cannot be an option.

Even with associated income streams, we will need gates of around 2,000 to keep the progress going.

As an aside, I don't actuallt think too much would need to be done at Stonebridge Road.

The main stand would need demolishing- not a huge job given that it is largely made of rotten wood, to be replaced by one with around 1500-1800 seats. That will probably take 18 months.

The only other bit in serious need is the Northfleet end. New concrete steps, barriers and new roof. That could be done within a year.

The remainder of the ground could do with some sprucing up - roof cover over the tea bar and club shop area, which is the popular terrace, and some cover at the Swanscome end, but that could be done in due course.

Probably would get financial help from various sources too.

 

[jc]

Both sides of the argument have their merits - the trouble is, the nature of funding for the new ground, and precise details on who would own it (remember that the current ground is still leased, albeit rent-free, and we can never be totally sure how Lafarge see the long-term future - how any new ground's ownership structure is comprised will be key to its attractiveness) are unclear, making it difficult to weigh it up authoritatively.

 

Another problem with redevelopment is that Stonebridge Road, even after significant structural changes, will always be perceived as old and unwelcoming by a substantial proportion of potential supporters. A new ground would be almost guaranteed to increase average attendances by attracting a significant number of said people.

 

Certainly, though, if it were viable to stay at Stonebridge Road and it could be proved that it would be of greater benefit in the long term to the prosperity and financial security of the club, I'd be delighted, if that were the outcome ahead of a new stadium for new stadium's sake. However, to the lay person not in possession of the full facts, it's hard to know whether that would or could really be the case.

 

One thing's for sure, though: as someone in love with Stonebridge Road's antiquated character and charm, I know how traumatic a parting from Stonebridge Road would be for me, and so there'll always be a selfish part of me seeing a positive side to any putting off of this event, at least from this point of view anyway - even though, deep down, what's best for the Club is ultimately what is of most importance.