Council hopeful of Bristol World Cup victory
Bristol's bid for 2018 World Cup games is consuming both football and non-football fans alike at the council, as the FA's visit draws closer.
The city is in the running to host four games and possibly a quarter-final during the 2018 World Cup, if included in the list of 16 stadiums which will form the backbone of the FA's bid to FIFA next year.
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City council leader Barbara Janke is hopeful of a Bristol World Cup victory
And while the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Christopher Davies, continues to thump the drum for the city's cause as the "capital of the West", councillor Simon Cook and council leader Barbara Janke are getting on with making the dream a reality.
Mr Cook and Mrs Janke are deep in the detail of how to best impress the visiting FA dignitaries on July 13 and what "host city" status could grant to Bristol in terms of an anticipated £100 million of investment.
Mr Cook, who is leading the bid at Bristol City Council, told the Evening Post: "If we won it would be fantastic, so we are putting a lot into it.
"It's a huge challenge but a very exciting one. The development of Ashton Vale will be well placed in terms of helping the regeneration of south Bristol and acting as a regional stadium.
"We've dedicated resources to helping the city itself to look as good as it can and we are getting a taste of the sort of global attention we can attract with the current Banksy exhibition."
As a football fan, Mr Cook has clocked the surge in interest in the city since Bristol City's Coca-Cola Championship play-off final defeat to Hull last year.
Bristol was, and is, close to having a Premier League team and the next step is to draw in international competition to feed the region's appetite for the sport.
"The sheer excitement of seeing some of the top international teams here in Bristol, or watching matches in one of the fan parks is starting to take hold," said Mr Cook. "You can imagine that whole kind of buzz of the World Cup taking over the city."
Mrs Janke is a prime example of the pulling power of World Cup football.
"I don't normally watch any football," she told the Evening Post, while stepping forward to be pictured with our World Cup billboard.
"But I have been known to stay up in the small hours and watch World Cups.
"It's testament to the power (the competition) has to draw people into the excitement and that's what we want to bring to Bristol.
"The council are fully behind this project and will do everything they can to bring World Cup football to Bristol and all that comes with it – the investment, the tourism and the promotion opportunities for our many and diverse businesses and communities.
"It will be very exciting."
The Lord Mayor of Bristol was born and bred in Bedminster, not far from Ashton Gate and the site of the proposed new stadium in Ashton Vale, near the Long Ashton park and ride.
And the prospect of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo or Argentina's Lionel Messi gracing the city in what could be the final bow of glittering careers does not phase him in the slightest.
"I'm sure any person, living in any part of Bristol, recognises it is great for the World Cup to come to Bristol," he said.
"It's a marvellous thing for everyone. The whole prestige of the tournament and everything it brings is huge.
"I keep saying it, but Bristol is the capital of the West.
"We've got first-rate hotels that can accommodate the great stars that will come here and they won't be disappointed with what they find in Bristol."
Got a World Cup story? Are you doing anything to promote Bristol's bid for a bit of the 2018 World Cup? Call 0117 934 3335.
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by stew, bristol
Thursday, July 16 2009, 10:30AM
“if bristol city do get the go ahead for a new ground for the world cup can some body please tell me and the rest of bristol what there going to do with it after its finnished as they cant fill 20,000 at home games let alone a 45,000 seater ground (out of their detph big time)! and im a city fan for the past 25 years”
by david, Planet Earth
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 10:19PM
“Tesco will be built, there are no planning regulations to stop it being built.
More importantly, much more importantly, we have a chance of the world cup coming to Bristol.
Why can't people focus on that instead of all the negative stuff.
No wonder Bristol is perceived as a backwater populated by yokels.
Every other bid city is embracing this opportunity but, true to form, Bristolians are intent on stopping it happening, same as every other major project in this city.
Wake up and smell the coffee - THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BRISTOL TO BECOME A TRULY WORLD CLASS CITY.
I know that is a bit too ambitious for the average Bristolian, but that is what is up for grabs.
Take it or leave it.”
by Richard, Knowle
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 9:37PM
“Andy
Who said it was wrong to build a Tesco in Ashton before?
They didn't have a site, no plans were ever put for a Tesco in Ashton, what makes it wrong? Why are you so worried about the businesses and residents of Ashton?
Here is the answer, You have run out of all your other complaints and thought the Tesco plans would be your next target with your totally transparant anti Bristol city
campain. What do you expect to gain from this constant barrage of self made propoganda.”
by Andy, Bristol
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 8:42PM
“The debate is not really about about whether stadium plans should be approved or not. That is a matter for the Planners and all interested parties to debate through the correct channels. The problem is around the unfair and deeply biased pressure being brought to bear over the Tesco planning application for the existing stadium site. Without the World Cup PR bandwagon, the Tesco store would probably not get past the planners - nor would anyone shed a single tear about that. However, through slight of hand, and media manipulation, we are urged to shed a river of tears if it is not built. Forget the pros and cons of a new stadium for city, and remember that the residents and businesses of the Ashton area will be the ones that have to live with the consequences of a bad decision over the Tesco plan.
If it was considered wrong to build a Tesco superstore in Ashton before all the world cup talk started, IT MUST STILL BE WRONG NOW.”
by Resident, Horfield
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 4:43PM
“Resident, North Bristol - If you have proof that their was undue influence brought to bear during the decision making process on the Memorial Stadium application and the planning process was compromised, I suggest you seek a judicial review.
Alternatively, accept that you lost the argument fai and square and Rover have planning permission to build a stadium on land currently occupuied by a stadium - hardly unsuitable for a, er, stadium!!!!”
by Resident, North Bristol, Bristol
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 3:40PM
“Steven is right. The decision about the Stadium must be made PURELY on planning grounds, with no political influence on the members of the planing committee, so there is no repeat of the Memorial Stadium fiasco when a totally unsuitable and unviable plan was passed by COuncillors, influenced by factors other than planning issues. It should stand or fall by its own merits.”
by Steven, North Bristol
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 2:03PM
“I sincerely hope that this does not mean that the Council leaders will seek to circumvent the planning procedure and try to influence the decision of the planning committee.”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 12:31PM
“Lib Dem Council Leader Barbara Janke is not the person who grants planning permission to BCFC. Permission is given or denied by the relevant planning committee following input from officers and members of the public etc. Planning committees are statutory not political in nature, at least they are supposed to be!! Whilst I hope theat councillors also use their good sense when making judegments on planning applications they have to apply certain criteria - and world cup or premiership football aspirations are not amongst these (and in any case they are transient, uncertain factors).”
by Don, Shirehampton
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 11:50AM
“Are the plans being rushed through simply so that the City council can pocket a load of cash £rom TESCO'S who want to build on the Ashton Gate site?”
by david, Planet Earth
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 11:49AM
“Richard - a very valid point in saying this is a bid from Bristol not Bristol City. BCFC will host the games that's all.
I agree that Rovers should be a part of this bid and maybe use it to speed up their own plans for a stadium - it could be utilised as a secondary stadium for training purposes for the world cup squads. I reckon the training sessions would pull in a crowd depending on which team it is.
All conjecture of course pending planning for the new stadium, but both clubs should get behind it (and get what they can out of it).”