Back new stadium, says Bristol City chairman Lansdown
A new stadium for Bristol City is an essential part of the 2018 World Cup venue bid, according to chairman Steve Lansdown.
It was announced yesterday, Lansdown has raised £47 million by selling 23 million shares in his company Hargreaves Lansdown, an undisclosed chunk of which will now be invested in the proposed stadium planned for Ashton Vale.
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Steve Lansdown
And Lansdown hopes this huge injection of funding will inspire private organisations and bodies like Bristol City Council to invest in the 30,000-seater project.
The Robins chairman has warned if they don't, there won't be any World Cup games being played in Bristol.
Lansdown said: "Without the stadium there is no World Cup bid.
"If Bristol wants to be a World Cup venue it has to provide a facility for 40,000 people plus 2,000 VIPs and the media.
"The new stadium will have 30,000 seats but with the ability to have 12,000 more built into the design, and we will need that if we get into the Premier League.
"The cost of the stadium project is not finalised yet but it will be more than the money I've raised.
"Hopefully the regional development authority and the city council will look to invest.
"We've been playing football at Ashton Gate since 1904, this stadium will last a lot longer than me."
If approved, the proposed stadium, which has four individual stands rather than a bowl, would be finished by January 2012.
It would then be road tested before opening to fans for the 2012-13 season.
The increased capacity would allow the club to bid for venue status should the Football Association's attempt to stage the 2018 World Cup be successful.
A formal application to the Football Association – which hopes to bring the World Cup to England – would have to be made by Bristol City Council.
But supporters say the needs of local fans needs to be considered as importantly as the requirements needed for the World Cup bid.
Chairman of the Bristol City Supporters Trust Stuart Rogers said: "I think the World Cup bid is as important if not more important to the city of Bristol generally as it is to Bristol City Football Club. The city as a whole would benefit.
"The view we've had from fans is they would like the stadium to reflect the needs of the football club.
"If it can be designed in such a way to take advantage of the World Cup bid then all the better."
Comments
by Mike, Wotton-U-Edge
Sunday, April 19 2009, 7:30PM
“I agree with Steve Landsdown that a quality stadium is required in Bristol. What surprised me is that he expects the city council to fund it. Fine if its a super stadium for all sides of Bristol (including Rovers) and the community, but if he expects it to be for the sole use of Bristol City and trying to play on the councils ego of the world cup. It shows that he is totally egotistical and is not interested one iota in Bristol, but his own power trip. Heres to one day getting somebody to support Bristol and not their own agenda. Trouble is I doubt if it will ever happen !!”