Falmer delay......

[Wilka]

Another season at Withdean

So will the club need to extend Withdean for another year to "return it back to it's original state" or was that just bullshit?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

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..

The way I read it was that the delay is now until Dec 2010 - the original completion date was due to be in time for the 2010/11 season. But they have decided not to move mid-season and are going to wait until the 2011/12 season starts. This gives them some flex in the timing for more delays without having to put back the date of the first match again.

 

[Notters]

so what if the stadium is delayed we've waited this long another year will not hurt.

We can't keep saying this every time they delay it by another year!

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I couldn't give a shit as long as I know they're down there building the damn thing!

 

[Simster]

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.

What he said. Some of us are just tired of the bullshitting positive spin put on what is actually a very SHIT news story. In no way whatsoever is a delay of YET ANOTHER YEAR, good news.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

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!!

The Report that went to the City Council's Enterprise, Employment and Major Projects Cabinet Member Meeting on 16 September 2008 included this:-

Financial Implications

5.1 As part of the development process the council, as landlord, must be satisfied
that the Community Stadium Ltd has secured sufficient funding, bonds,
guarantees and grants for the completion and operation of the development.

In its capacity as landlord, the Council approved the Club's latest proposals. Whilst the details of the funding, bonds, guarantees and grants haven't been made public, we can assume that the Council have been sufficiently satisfied that things are fine. The Council have now released their land to the Albion - which, again, confirms that they are satisfied that the funding is secured.

You can relax, chimneys.

 

[adrian29uk]

Just think how exciting this is going to be seeing the start of construction. Our brand new stadium. Never thought I would see this day.

 

[Was not Was]

The worst thing about not being at Falmer yet is, of course, having to go to matches at Withdean. So, on the face of it, this is bad news rather than good. But once the things going up and we can see it on webcam and are getting construction updates - that extra season at Withdean will feel a hell of a lot shorter than all the others.

I'd be much more worried about a delay getting onsite, which would have suggested that funding is becoming a major problem.

So, in fact, I'm pretty reassured by the news.

 

[ROSM]

What he said. Some of us are just tired of the bullshitting positive spin put on what is actually a very SHIT news story. In no way whatsoever is a delay of YET ANOTHER YEAR, good news.

If you read my post and what it was responding too - I'm not arguing with what either KSA or you are saying. I actually think that Kylie's post is accurate albeit he has misinterpreted what I was trying to say.

For anyone to say that we will be very fortunate to be there by 2012 I think is a fatuous comment. Fortunate implies a reliance on fortune alone - but to arrive at a point where fortune is an element relies on a lot of effort in the first place. A team may be fortunate to get a last minute penalty in a cup final, but they've beaten at least 5 teams to get there. That was the point I was making.

 

[Titanic]

The worst thing about not being at Falmer yet is, of course, having to go to matches at Withdean...

like last week... that was utter crap... wasn't it?

 

[British Bulldog]

In all honesty i'm at the stage with Falmer where i'll believe it when I see it.

 

[itszamora]

Another season at Withdean

So will the club need to extend Withdean for another year to "return it back to it's original state" or was that just bullshit?

My impression from the minute that was announced was that it was bullshit.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Not surprised at the news whatsoever. Anyone who thought that we would be in and playing games by August 2010 (only 18 months away) was deluded. Just not possible given the changes that have taken place.

Of course I'm disappointed at yet another delay but at least it seems it will be going ahead.

When the picture of Falmer came up on the TV this morning, my first reaction was give the current financial situation the news was going to be far, far worse - that the funding had not be found and the project shelved.

Yes disappointed, but in the overall scheme of things not a disaster.

 

[Simster]

If you read my post and what it was responding too - I'm not arguing with what either KSA or you are saying. I actually think that Kylie's post is accurate albeit he has misinterpreted what I was trying to say.

For anyone to say that we will be very fortunate to be there by 2012 I think is a fatuous comment. Fortunate implies a reliance on fortune alone - but to arrive at a point where fortune is an element relies on a lot of effort in the first place. A team may be fortunate to get a last minute penalty in a cup final, but they've beaten at least 5 teams to get there. That was the point I was making.

OK you can argue the scemantics if you like. You know, like arguing about what "fortunate" means. But at the end of the day, we've been spun a load of crap about how this delay is good news when CLEARLY it isn't. The problem is the board has now got form when it comes to the issue of delays. Lots of it. So why should anyone believe this is good news when it is FAR more likely that there will be more delays if past form is anything to go by? The club's board looks like a bunch of amateurs in my eyes. Sorry.

In all honesty i'm at the stage with Falmer where i'll believe it when I see it.

And you're not alone BB. Why should you be? We've waited over a decade and STILL we're waiting.

 

[ROSM]

OK you can argue the scemantics if you like. You know, like arguing about what "fortunate" means. But at the end of the day, we've been spun a load of crap about how this delay is good news when CLEARLY it isn't. The problem is the board has now got form when it comes to the issue of delays. Lots of it. So why should anyone believe this is good news when it is FAR more likely that there will be more delays if past form is anything to go by? The club's board looks like a bunch of amateurs in my eyes. Sorry.

And you're not alone BB. Why should you be? We've waited over a decade and STILL we're waiting.

I dont think anybody is saying the delay is good news. The other aspects of news about appointing a contractor and taking possession of the site is good news - the delay is bad news. It just depends whether in people's own minds they perceive one as outweighing the other to a greater of lesser degree. I happen to think the delay outweighs the good news and therefore it is on the whole bad news.

 

[Easy 10]

OK you can argue the scemantics if you like. You know, like arguing about what "fortunate" means. But at the end of the day, we've been spun a load of crap about how this delay is good news when CLEARLY it isn't. The problem is the board has now got form when it comes to the issue of delays. Lots of it. So why should anyone believe this is good news when it is FAR more likely that there will be more delays if past form is anything to go by? The club's board looks like a bunch of amateurs in my eyes. Sorry.

What exactly have the board done WRONG that has led to the delay in this project then ? What SHOULD they have done ?

 

[Simster]

What exactly have the board done WRONG that has led to the delay in this project then ? What SHOULD they have done ?

The time scales were always over ambitious. I guess they have just done a piss poor job of managing people's expectations over the time scale and perhaps have done little else wrong. Perhaps they should have bitten the bullet very early on and said "we will have this done by XXXX", factoring in any potential delays.

 

[Timbo]

What exactly have the board done WRONG that has led to the delay in this project then ? What SHOULD they have done ?

The clubs biggest fault was putting forward unrealistic start/opening dates.

 

[Simster]

The clubs biggest fault was putting forward unrealistic start/opening dates.

Indeed. Very amateurish, IMO.

 

[Easy 10]

The time scales were always over ambitious. I guess they have just done a piss poor job of managing people's expectations over the time scale and perhaps have done little else wrong. Perhaps they should have bitten the bullet very early on and said "we will have this done by XXXX", factoring in any potential delays.

I agree August 2010 always did look ambitious, especially when not a thing has happened on the site yet, nor will it for another couple of months. I was more hopeful of the timescale, rather than convinced of it. But I don't think its worth slagging them off over this announcement. I'm sure the board want this stadium as quickly as we do, why wouldn't they ? But on such a massive project its almost inevitable that there will be some delays.

Personally just I'm relieved to have an assurance that we are on course to commence building in December. And the timescale now looks like a realistic one.