New stadium crucial to Bristol World Cup success
There is one critical aspect to Bristol's bid for 2018 World Cup football – a new 40,000-seat stadium to serve Bristol and the South West.
No stadium. No bid. No World Cup in Bristol.
To meet FIFA requirements, the city needs a stadium with a capacity of at least 40,000, plus 2,000 seats for VIPs and media.
The chairman of Bristol City Football Club, Steve Lansdown, has stumped up £43 million towards a 30,000-seat stadium in Ashton Vale, by the Long Ashton park and ride. Crucially, it has the potential to be increased to the magic number of 42,000 seats should Bristol, then England, succeed with their respective bids.
The only way to fund the additional money required is through the sale of Ashton Gate, the club's current home.
And this weekend the consultation opened on the club's sale to Tesco.
"Stadiums are very expensive beasts to build," said Colin Sexstone, chief executive of Bristol City.
"And this one is no exception. Particularly, as it is going to be a landmark stadium."
The unlikely knight in shining armour to save the new stadium project from the crash in house prices is Tesco.
"We have to maximise the only asset we have in terms of bricks and mortar, which is Ashton Gate," said Sexstone.
The council's local plan has Ashton Gate earmarked for housing.
But times have changed since the plan was written. And what appeared financially viable then is not viable now.
"Unfortunately, in the current climate, and it's the current climate we're working in, we probably wouldn't find anybody to buy it as most housebuilders are trying to offload land, not take it on," said Sexstone.
"And even if we could, the return we would get would literally be a mere fraction of what we need.
"So clearly the opportunity to use food retail for us is very good.
"Clearly, Tesco think there's demand here. And bear it mind it won't be operational until 2013.
"We also think it will bring a lot of people into the area. And these people are likely to migrate up to North Street and go into the existing restaurants, small shops, etc.
"I think it will help revitalise this whole area," he added. "I think it's a big plus.
"But clearly whenever somebody like Tesco have something built there are people who will be against it. We've got to listen to those views and try and accommodate as many of the things that are constructively put forward as we possibly can."
The timetable is tight. Planning permission for the redevelopment of the Ashton Gate site will be submitted at the end of July, leaving the planning committee until late October to make their decision.
It will be an independent decision. But Bristol's World Cup ambitions, £100m of investment, eight years of promotion and a festival of previously unseen proportions in this city hang completely on that decision.
"Every penny we raise from Ashton Gate will go into the new stadium," added Sexstone.
"Clearly if somebody wants to suggest how we can raise that money elsewhere, we'll listen to them. But I know they're not going to, because there isn't.
"People will say 'why can't Steve Lansdown pay for this?' But people need to be aware that without Steve Lansdown, this project would not have got this far.
"He will be making a very, very major financial contribution to the new stadium in the form of equity in the company. Steve Lansdown is doing more than his fair share.
"And as he has said many times, this stadium will be here for more than a 100 years, long after he has gone, and he would expect other people to put their bit into it."
"I'm part of the bid team clearly because the stadium is the key component. But I have no influence other than putting the application in to the planning committee. The decision will be made by the planning committee, which I will not be at.
"But if I'm accused of being biased towards making Bristol a successful World Cup host city, I am guilty as charged."
15 Comments
View all
by Richard Lane, Knowle
Tuesday, June 23 2009, 6:42PM
“Andy
It's not the paper that needs to be impartial it's YOU.
There have been no constant press releases from the club that you hate. The reports have come from the Evening post, they have been reporting on Bristol's bid for hosting the World cup.
If you don't want it so what, shut up and let the rest of us have a bit of the good times.
The Evening post backed Rovers in their plans for redevelopment all the way, the fact that this involves City is just something you can't stomach hard luck, now grow up.”
by Andy, Bristol
Tuesday, June 23 2009, 5:44AM
“It is not the stadium plan that is the most contentious thing here; it is the way in which the local people and the council are being hoodwinked and pressurised into giving it a green light.
The constant press releases from the football club, and the incessant white noise in the evening post serve to crank the pressure to approve the scheme. The England world cup bid could easily fail; the Bristol bid (dependent on the stadium) could also easily fail: then the football club will have landed their only real prize, and the rest of Bristol will be left with a vague sense of having been duped.
Evening Post - wake up to yourselves, it is not your job to campaign for Bristol City Football Club, or Tesco. How about being impartial for a change?????”
by Tony, simplysouthville.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 22 2009, 9:06PM
“The article says: "The council's local plan has Ashton Gate earmarked for housing. But times have changed since the plan was written."
The times may have changed but the need for affordable family housing hasn't. One thing does remain and that is we don't need another supermarket in this area of Bristol.
Are the powers that be really going to rush through a planning application that could damage the area forever, for the sake of two or three potential World Cup games in nine years time.
Let's do it right. A development at Ashton Gate that will benefit the local community and a new stadium for City that it can afford. Tesco a 'white knight'? More like the Grim Reaper for Southville and Ashton.”
by Rob, Crews Hole
Monday, June 22 2009, 6:53PM
“A large car park, a supermarket in a tin shed and a petrol filling station - is that the best anyone at Bristol City can come up with for their old ground?
It would be a complete waste of a great opportunity. OK the World Cup in Bristol would be great, but it will only last for four weeks. We will be stuck with the consequences for a lot longer.”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Monday, June 22 2009, 6:09PM
“What we need to keep in mind here is how the city can best come to a fair decision. There are certain factors that, under current planning law and guidance, are not legitimate planning criteria against which the application should be judged. These include: World Cup games in Bristol aspirations; Bristol City FC premiership aspirations; support for the application from the local media for the stadium; support from political party leaders for the stadium; support from a multi-millionaire and major supermarket chain for the stadium proposal. These things therefore, at least in theory, should not affect decision making - I sincerely hope that this is the case.”