Falmer delay......

[Skint Gull]

That, as far as I am concerned is great news. The poll that was done recently suggests that 75% of NSCers thought the stadium wouldn't be ready by 2010 so they're hardly saying something we didn't expect.

The only real news worth taking out of this is that they have actually started!

 

[Questions]

I think most people knew this was coming apart from the usual apologists.

They actually believed Dick and Martin.

 

[chimneys]

I have scoured the club's press release and while Dick mentions we are fortunate that our funding is not affected by the retail/commercial sector, nowhere does he state that full funding is in place. Surely with the confidence on dates/contractor etc that the rest of the statement exudes, he could be categoric on that most important point of all.

Until funding is confirmed to be in place, any opening date can be no more than a best guess.

Please Dick, be categoric on that point, then we can all relax.

 

[ROSM]

I think most people knew this was coming apart from the usual apologists.

They actually believed Dick and Martin.

and pray tell us who were the usual apologists?

 

[Mackenzie]

What's another year anyway.....

At least the club is showing some honesty. Does anyone know any rich arabs/americans/perma-tanned phone salesmen?

 

[Publius Ovidius]

It wasn't meant as a dig at you, TRHK.

More at Dave the Gaffer's comments.

so one is not allowed to critisise now them?

 

[ROSM]

Donny Rovers moved in to their new ground mid-season.

indeed they did - as have many clubs. The issue is though that the size of stadium, and location require that a series of ramp up events take place at the stadium first - friendlies with reduced crowds etc. That is very difficult to do mid season.

As I wrote a few weeks back (wouldn't expect anyone to remember it) the usual practice for clubs in our position - even arsenal did it - is to time the construction to meet the start of the next season rather than rush to complete mid season. Unless there is a significant financial reason to do otherwise (such as being evicted from current ground or needing the income from the sale of said site) then the most sensible option in project terms os to take the delayed delivery approach.

 

[Trigger]

so one is not allowed to critisise now them?

NO! How dare you, not even when it inevitably gets put again to something like 2024 may you criticise, all worship at the alter of Dick & Martin.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I have scoured the club's press release and while Dick mentions we are fortunate that our funding is not affected by the retail/commercial sector, nowhere does he state that full funding is in place. Surely with the confidence on dates/contractor etc that the rest of the statement exudes, he could be categoric on that most important point of all.

Until funding is confirmed to be in place, any opening date can be no more than a best guess.

Please Dick, be categoric on that point, then we can all relax.

At this stage, it is sensible NOT to announce any details of the funding package.

The Club has announced that the Buckingham Group will build the stadium. They will not yet have finalised the contract with Buckingham. Buckingham will be like any contractor when first appointed. They will try to screw every last penny out of the client by adding items to their cost estimates.

If the Club now says "we've got all the money in the world to play with", the contractor will get very demanding. If the Club stays quiet, the contractor is likely to be thinking that unreasonable demands might get the Club thinking that the contract might, even at this stage, be handed over to another tenderer.

Martin Perry has years of experience in the murky world of construction contracts. He's not stupid.

 

[NMH]

At this stage, it is sensible NOT to announce any details of the funding package.

The Club has announced that the Buckingham Group will build the stadium. They will not yet have finalised the contract with Buckingham. Buckingham will be like any contractor when first appointed. They will try to screw every last penny out of the client by adding items to their cost estimates.

If the Club now says "we've got all the money in the world to play with", the contractor will get very demanding. If the Club stays quiet, the contractor is likely to be thinking that unreasonable demands might get the Club thinking that the contract might, even at this stage, be handed over to another tenderer.

Martin Perry has years of experience in the murky world of construction contracts. He's not stupid.

And.... the latter option is way more likely than the former anyway!

My only thought is will the stadium be available as a possible training complex for the 2012 Olympics? Is this a possibility, that we could offer it for use?

 

[Djmiles]

Fair play to the club, they could have started work in December and waited till the tail end of next year to tell us it will be delayed.

A bit disappointed, but hey what can you do.

 

[Uter]

At this stage, it is sensible NOT to announce any details of the funding package.

The Club has announced that the Buckingham Group will build the stadium. They will not yet have finalised the contract with Buckingham. Buckingham will be like any contractor when first appointed. They will try to screw every last penny out of the client by adding items to their cost estimates.

If the Club now says "we've got all the money in the world to play with", the contractor will get very demanding. If the Club stays quiet, the contractor is likely to be thinking that unreasonable demands might get the Club thinking that the contract might, even at this stage, be handed over to another tenderer.

Martin Perry has years of experience in the murky world of construction contracts. He's not stupid.

Buckingham are also involved in industrial, commercial and retail development. These sectors are likely to impacted by the current economic downturn. I expect they will be quite keen not to lose this contract.

 

[chimneys]

At this stage, it is sensible NOT to announce any details of the funding package.

The Club has announced that the Buckingham Group will build the stadium. They will not yet have finalised the contract with Buckingham. Buckingham will be like any contractor when first appointed. They will try to screw every last penny out of the client by adding items to their cost estimates.

If the Club now says "we've got all the money in the world to play with", the contractor will get very demanding. If the Club stays quiet, the contractor is likely to be thinking that unreasonable demands might get the Club thinking that the contract might, even at this stage, be handed over to another tenderer.

Martin Perry has years of experience in the murky world of construction contracts. He's not stupid.

I'm not asking for detail, just that full funding (not "all the money in the world" but enough to complete the stadium including for the inevitable increases this further delay will create) is in place. Surely Buckingham will want to know this prior to starting serious work to ensure they are going to be paid?

And on the extras, surely it is being undertaken on a fully specified design and build basis, so no extras and any risk/delay is at Buckinghsam's expense?

Just tell me I can relax is really all I'm asking!!

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

Fortunate or as a result of a lot of people's hard work?

Considering that date is another year LATER than the club are NOW stating, so TWO years on from the original opening date, I'd say that it would be incredibly difficult to pat people on the back for working hard. It should be possible to get it built in time for August 2010, and by giving themselves another year there really shouldn't be any more delay.

Before you jump back up on that high horse, yes we know that a lot of people have dedicated a lot of time, effort and money to the stadium, and will be continuing to do so. Yes, we know that with legislation changing all the time the goalposts are moving and the club have to keep making changes and getting reapproval before work can begin. We're constantly reminded of all these things after all. The fact remains though that until work actually starts on construction a lot of people will take all the positive spin with a huge pinch of salt.

 

[Marc]

so the opening has been delayed 6-8 months...not exactly a YEAR is it!?
I always thought 2010 mean the start of the season but from that Argus article it was always Dec 2010 so not a huge delay and one I can live with.
Once work starts I'll be happy.

 

[Easy 10]

clever to have the good news / bad news released at the same time. Overall I'm reassured. I know there's still a strong element of "believe it when I see it", and there's no way an extra year at Withdean can be viewed as anything other than grim, but it does appear to be a more realistic timescale. If they're saying its basically going to be completed by December 2010 and ready to host some ramp-up events for the safety certificate etc, then there's still some room for (inevitable ?) slippage beyond that date for it still to be up and running for August 2011.

I'm ok with that.

 

[Uter]

I think most people knew this was coming apart from the usual apologists.

They actually believed Dick and Martin.

How could anyone "know" this was going to happen? If I tossed a coin and said it would come up heads and it did come up heads it would not mean I knew it was going to come up heads.

 

[Don Tmatter]

Let just hope we don't find any kind of bones laying around.....

With our luck, they'll find a crystal skull or the Ark of the Covenant

 

[MattBackHome]

Sounds like good news to me - yet more confirmation that its actually getting built.

 

[Caveman]

Good news and honesty.

What more can you hope for, sure there is a delay but the important things are work IS starting, a contractor HAS been appointed and would appear that finance isn't going to be the issue we all were starting to worry seriously about.

Agreed. I just want to see the work started and then this will finally become reality!