New Bristol City stadium will cost £92million
The new Bristol City stadium at Ashton Vale will cost the club about £92 million in total, chairman Steve Lansdown has told a meeting of supporters.
Addressing more than 100 shareholders and fans last night, Mr Lansdown said when fees for solicitors, architects, structural engineers and the cost of acquiring the land was taken into account, the cost of the project will increase by about a third over the previously-published figure of £65 million.
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The public meeting at the Dolman Stand exhibition hall at the club's existing Ashton Gate ground was a chance for Mr Lansdown to update fans on the club's annual accounts and aspirations for the future.
He also took questions from the audience alongside chief executive Colin Sexstone and manager Gary Johnson.
Mr Lansdown said the £65 million figure referred to the cost of constructing the building but not all the extras needed to make way for it.
The chairman said the new stadium will help the club to fulfil its ambitions to be a Premier League side and a club synonymous with football, but said the club's success would also have an impact on Bristol both in terms of the World Cup and long-term.
He said: "If you have got sport right in a city, it will prosper.
"We are looking to make this into a big football club and we have got to work together to make it happen.
"We have to make Bristol City Football Club a Premiership side."
Mr Lansdown told the audience that 5,000 people had logged onto the internet to view the Bristol City Council planning meeting earlier this month, when councillors decided they were minded to approve the stadium. The chairman said that in working with the council on the application, the authority needs to be "more helpful".
Mr Lansdown said: "There is no point saying we can't do this, and we can't do that because of the slow worms, they have got to say what we can do; as President Obama said, they need to get rid of the word can't and use the word can."
The audience was told the planning application for the supermarket on the Ashton Gate site is likely to be submitted to the authority by the end of January.
He told the meeting there are many pluses in the Sainsbury's bid to build a new supermarket on the current home of Bristol City.
He said: "The big plus is that with Sainsbury's there will not be two supermarkets, it is a transfer and the other will go to houses, not retail.
"There are a lot of pluses coming from North Street traders and the anti-Tesco campaign Berate has closed up, although it could be restored.
"It is a big site and there will be people against it.
"We want to push the enabling works and we will need our fan base, who were incredibly helpful to us in the application at Ashton Vale."
Mr Sexstone said the club will be contacting people on their database, asking for all the support they can give during the next planning phase.
And referring to architect George Ferguson's vision of turning Ashton Gate into the city's first carbon neutral neighbourhood, Mr Sexstone said: "George Ferguson is a dreadful pain in our backsides, purely because he is not involved.
"These are the people we have to fight. They are interested in their own egos and not the good of the area or our city."
After the meeting, in response to Mr Sexstone's comments, Mr Ferguson said: "Colin Sexstone should grow up. It is very silly of him.
"I am a sponsor and supporter of the football club and I have backed the stadium plan, but I oppose the idea of the existing Ashton Gate stadium being used for an unsuitable use.
"I am a fan of Bristol City, but I am also a fan of Bristol and want to do what is best for Bristol."
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by Mike, Bristol
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 9:53AM
“More petty insults and arrogance NAFOF..
I do enjoy a good book yes, but so called 'fine art' isnt for me no.
I dont feel the need to whine and complain when a gallery is opened at the expense of tax payers though, that is essentially the difference between you and I.
I also wonder how many opera goers, art or ballet lovers etc would actually be interested in it they werent conditioned to think that it made them 'sophisticated' to do so.”
by Geoff, here and there
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 10:08PM
“And referring to architect George Ferguson's vision of turning Ashton Gate into the city's first carbon neutral neighbourhood, Mr Sexstone said:
And referring to Mr Staukhausen's reporting then it can be best described as two fingers because Mr Sexstone wasnt referring to anyone's vision, he said that there were people out there who were trying to deliberately trip us up and that Mr Ferguson has been a pain in our backsides simply because he is not involved.
Andy Stockhausen, if you're going to make things up then please try better.
Mr Sexstone was responding to a question whether the stadium would be delayed - I should know as I asked the question, but unlike Mr Stockhausen I listened to the answer carefully and then didnt try and make something up.”
by Mitch, Ashton Vale
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 9:40PM
“If the main cultural activity of this country is watching 22 women sat on their fat behinds knitting, watching Coronation Street every day whilst they occasionally moaning about the good things trying to happen in Bristol then we really are in the dark ages.
Just because this doesn't suit you, you don't want it!!
If it suited you, you would be yes yes yes baby!”
by not a football fan, bristol
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 6:44PM
“If the main cultural activity of this country is watching 22 men run after a ball for an hour and a half whilst they occasionally fall over clutching their faces then we really are in the dark ages.
Ever been to an art gallery Mike? Or read a book?”
by Stan, Bristol
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 6:31PM
“Dream on, its never ever ,ever gonna happen. What a dreadful waste of tax payers money. If someone came along and asked you to give up the home you own so your pals could have a newer bigger home and you would pay the mortgage forever for it, would you do it, well maybe some of you might.....but for most sensible people, I Don't think so. Someone will get rich it won't be football fans.”
by MIke, Bristol
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 4:55PM
“hmmm not at all bigoted are you NAFOF?
Whether or not the faux sophisticates like it or not, football IS the main 'cultural spectacle' in this country, but you have such a stereo typed, daily mail attittude towards it you dont want to believe it.
Millions gets spent by this council every year on projects that I have no interest in whatsoever, but I dont whine and complain about it.
Live and let live.”
by Alexander, Clifton
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 4:51PM
“Just a few things to add. If anyone remotely thinks the finished cost will be £95 mil then add at least a contingency of 25% so what are we up to now £120million...assuming the contractors dont go bust leaving it half built? Cost overuns , delays , legal ranglings, planning delays between Bristol and Bristol City FC all mean that this project will be in and out of the post like a recurring itchy rash. I am not a football fan and I do hope that it all goes well but any partnership with a political entity and a private one is sure to be doomed.”
by Not a football fan, bristol
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 3:36PM
“"Listen, the stadium is going to get built so if you are a jealous sag, anti football or simple just want Bristol to remain in the dark ages then get over it! "
I love the way people talk about football like it's some awesome cultural spectacle that inevitably leads to a flowering in the arts and sciences. Football is a game played by effeminate men and watched by lager fuelled thugs. I can't think of one positive thing football has ever done for Bristol apart from keep a large section of the chav population off the streets on Saturday afternoons.”
by j, Bristol
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 3:26PM
“You've got to love the village mentality on here. It's no wonder the world doesn't have a clue where Bristol is. The stadium is for Bristol City Football Club and nothing else. If you don't watch football then go moan about something else.”
by gelly, bristol
Tuesday, November 24 2009, 3:23PM
“This is all very interesting but they dont tell us where this extra chunk of cash is coming from.”