New stadium crucial to Bristol World Cup success
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."
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