Falmer; The sequence of construction

[Curious Orange]

If you look at the blueprint that shows the east stand you can see that it has been designed to accomodate a further tier, which i guess could expand the 5000 seater east stand to around 10,000.

I have a feeling that the capacity of the East Stand includes the upper tier as I recall it being mentioned that they weren't going to put it in until it was actually needed, which makes sense given our current circumstances. I've posted a message on Ask The Club to clarify though.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Can I just mention the horrendous Health and Safety implications of a photographer hanging out of a helicopter on a bit of rope to take pictures of a hole in the ground.

That is absolutely disgusting and I am going to write to the Telegraph immediatly

 

[The Grockle]

I have a feeling that the capacity of the East Stand includes the upper tier as I recall it being mentioned that they weren't going to put it in until it was actually needed, which makes sense given our current circumstances. I've posted a message on Ask The Club to clarify though.

Being the complete goon I am, I did a rough count from the blue prints (horizontal seats x vertical seats) and guestimated around 20,000 seats. I could be wrong though….I frequently am!

 

[Garage_Doors]

Can I just mention the horrendous Health and Safety implications of a photographer hanging out of a helicopter on a bit of rope to take pictures of a hole in the ground.

That is absolutely disgusting and I am going to write to the Telegraph immediatly

And a girl at that !!!!

 

[herbicide]

 

[The Grockle]

Edit edit edit

 

[Albion Dan]

Doncaster? Are you sure?

Doncaster, Im sure is more than we'd have needed for the next 10 years without drowning the club in debt. £22million to build.

Blackpool being built in phases to the clubs budget.

Hulls KC Stadium, cost £44m 6 years ago.

I know people are saying that we had to design to the environment it would be interesting to know exactly how much we could have got away and how much cheaper with with a more modest design.

 

[Caveman]

Soon to have a much nicer ground than you sunshine.

 

[The Grockle]

Doncaster, Im sure is more than we'd have needed for the next 10 years without drowning the club in debt. £22million to build.

Blackpool being built in phases to the clubs budget.

Hulls KC Stadium, cost £44m 6 years ago.

I know people are saying that we had to design to the environment it would be interesting to know exactly how much we could have got away and how much cheaper with with a more modest design.

Doncaster's stadium design is much more basic than Falmer's.

Can't say i know a great deal about Blackpools ground.

The KC stadium was built at a similar cost to the projected cost of Falmer a few years back, if they were to build the stadium now the cost would be comparable.

 

[k2bluesky]

Seems to me, as the board are confident of the finance package being in place and they can provide money for loan players, small scale buying them etc when needed, maybe we have a sugar daddy who is acting as guarantor for the whole project and once this stadium is finished we will see more interest in building up BHA on the pitch too, can't do much without a decent ground, have patience.

 

[Albion Dan]

Doncaster's stadium design is much more basic than Falmer's.

Can't say i know a great deal about Blackpools ground.

The KC stadium was built at a similar cost to the projected cost of Falmer a few years back, if they were to build the stadium now the cost would be comparable.

But Doncasters ground is more than fit for purpose to support Championship football and expandable.

If Hulls ground cost £44m, and that wasnt even their money, can we afford to sadlle ourselves with a 1/3rd extra on top?

I am talking basic commercial sense here, what happens if we are in debt £65m and in Div 1 in 5 years time with crowds of 10,000?

 

[The Large One]

I am talking basic commercial sense here, what happens if we are in debt £65m and in Div 1 in 5 years time with crowds of 10,000?

I don't know. Are you worried someone is going to pull the plug because we are '£65m' in debt?

Or are you going to take into consideration that the debt will be managed over a given period - 15/20/25 years - and that assuming we keep on track with servicing the debt, we ought to be OK?

 

[Lokki 7]

Or are you going to take into consideration that the debt will be managed over a given period - 15/20/25 years - and that assuming we keep on track with servicing the debt, we ought to be OK?

Like Southampton?

 

[The Large One]

Like Southampton?

Unlike Southampton.

 

[Pot noodles for everyone]

Unlike Southampton.

And how do you know that we are unlike them?

 

[Lokki 7]

Unlike Southampton.

Just seems that if a debt of less than £30m is putting their future existence at risk, I would be foolish to not even consider the prospect of something similar happening to us. We could realistically be in Division 4 whereas they are in the Championship and struglling to service that debt.

Now I would hope I am wrong obviously, but the numbers do seem somewhat disconcerting.

 

[The Large One]

And how do you know that we are unlike them?

Admittedly this is second-hand knowledge (gleaned from on here, but from what looked like reliable sources), it was them falling out the Premiership that did for them.

For too long after, they were still spending Premiership-size wages and expenditure on a Championship club. They gambled on a straight return and it never came off, irrespective of them getting decent attendances.

If there's one thing you can say about this board, they don't exactly splash money about.

 

[The Grockle]

But Doncasters ground is more than fit for purpose to support Championship football and expandable.
True but we would have never have got planning consent for such a monstrosity.

If Hulls ground cost £44m, andthat wasnt even their money, can we affor to sadlle ourselves with a 1/3rd extra on top?
I’m sure our owners who have a wealth of experience of the construction industry will take out a mortgage style loan with a sensible repayment schedule.

I am talking basic commercial sense here, what happens if we are in debt £65m and in Div 1 in 5 years time with crowds of 10,000?

Yes you are talking sense but without a new stadium the financial ramifications of playing at Withdean would surely mean the end of our club. It’s also worth remembering that with Falmer there are many other financial streams (hospitality and commercial to name two) which would be unaffected by lower crowds. In short the stadium is much, much more than just a theatre of football every other weekend for 8 months a year.

 

[The Large One]

Just seems that if a debt of less than £30m is putting their future existence at risk, I would be foolish to not even consider the prospect of something similar happening to us. We could realistically be in Division 4 whereas they are in the Championship and struglling to service that debt.

Now I would hope I am wrong obviously, but the numbers do seem somewhat disconcerting.

It does sound terrifying.

But unless you think that the board is playing one almighty game of bluff with their financiers, somewhere down the line, someone appears to believe that the figures are believable and manageable.

Whether we get any kind of detail about this, or whether it stays confidential - I don't know.

 

[Lokki 7]

Admittedly this is second-hand knowledge (gleaned from on here, but from what looked like reliable sources), it was them falling out the Premiership that did for them.

For too long after, they were still spending Premiership-size wages and expenditure on a Championship club. They gambled on a straight return and it never came off, irrespective of them getting decent attendances.

If there's one thing you can say about this board, they don't exactly splash money about.

But their quoted level of debt was I think £29m. That is not a million miles away from the amount of debt we will be taking on as a club (inc. existing loans). It doesn't matter how that debt got there, it is the repayments that matter. Average Southampton attendance this season is 17,573 and yet they are on the brink of extinction. Can you see us getting that figure in Div 4? And that's not taking lower TV rights and merchandising into account. I don't mean to be doom and gloom but you have to admit it is slightly worrying. Let's put it this way, would you lend the club your life savings right now to fund Falmer?