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stadium delayed









Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,508
The land of chocolate
I wonder what criteria the potential lenders will use to decide whether or not to invest in Falmer?

I'd imagine a sound business plan is essential, plus evidence of good financial house keeping in recent years. Beyond that, maybe the willingness of the directors/owners to invest some money of their own.

It's a complete guess, but once all available grants etc are taken off I reckon we'll still need to borrow something approaching £40M. So I guess the question they'll be asking is will the increase in revenue provided by Falmer be enough to service this level of debt.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,429
Location Location
I agree with that: but most of all what this thread shows is that no-one on this board, not one of us, has more than the smallest inkling about the financing of the stadium. It remains cloaked in secrecy for `commercial reasons` - which is fine and necessary. But none of us should therefore be surprised if it does hit problems, because since those financial plans were put in place, the whole finance world has been in turmoil and the rules of 12 months ago are not the rules now. I can't say whether the finances are stable - the only people who can are Martin Perry and the board - and of course their job, outwardly, is to put the best possible shine on things to keep everyone's confidence up. But there must be a chance that the finances, or some part of them, will fall down. I don't know and I certainly hope not - but in this financial climate, there are no certainties.

Now this one I do agree with.
I'd love to have "blind faith" that everything on the financing side will go smoothly, but I can't help but have some nagging doubts the way things are going.
 


Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
No surprise up here. Building was supposed to start almost 2 years ago and to date nothing has happened other than endless wranglings over the financing. The preparatory works mentioned below are little more than a few test bore-holes in Stanley Park.

North West Development Agency keep refusing to hand over any grants for the stadium as they are not convinced that LCC can afford their share.

Little surprise if it never happened. LFC are not that awash with spare cash (unless they sell Gerrard), especially after Gillette and Hicks refinanced their debt.

Another massive blow to Liverpool FC new stadium hopes - Liverpool Echo.co.uk

Another massive blow to Liverpool FC new stadium hopes
Aug 29 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL Football Club today announced a major delay in its plans for a new stadium in Stanley Park.

The ECHO understands it will be another year before construction will start.

Club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett had hired London based PR firm Freuds to make a formal announcement confirming the delay on September 1.

But with speculation surfacing over the past 24 hours they have been forced to admit the Reds’ stadium dreams have suffered another massive blow.

Basic preparatory work began in Stanley Park several weeks ago, but fears that construction would not get under way this year because Hicks and Gillett do not have the necessary finance in place have now been realised.

The club released a statement to the ECHO today saying the delay had been caused by “global market conditions” and insisting that their commitment is “undiminished”.

But this does not wash with fans groups who believe it is just another sign that Hicks and Gillett are not the men to take Liverpool forward.

It is now 18 months since Gillett declared that work would start within 60 days.

Spirit of Shankly spokesman Jay McKenna said: “SOS has been expecting this news for over a week.

“It is our firm belief that the owners have neither the resources nor the intention to deliver this project, and are using the current economic climate as a subterfuge while they attempt to drive the potential sale value of the football club up.

“As SOS has maintained throughout this debacle, the owners have no money, no credibility and no dignity, and are not fit custodians of the club.

“We demand their immediate resignation and the sale of the club to fit and proper owners.”

City sources have told the ECHO that Hicks and Gillett have been in talks with the Royal Bank of Scotland in a bid to borrow around £300m to build the stadium.
But the duo baulked at the proposed deal when informed they would need to provide £200m in equity to fund such a massive loan

In April, Hicks staged a TV press interview, saying the credit crunch would have no effect on the stadium plans, a line he stuck to the month after the collapse

Then, when plans to build a Glorypark development in Arlington, Dallas, were abandoned the following month because of the credit crunch, Hicks again denied there was any possibility market conditions would force any delay to Liverpool’s Stanley Park project.

But the club have now admitted they have no choice but to delay the plans with a revised completion date in time for the 2012/13 season.

During the delay, they say they will be revisiting the plans again in a bid to ensure that if and when the stadium finally does open it will have a capacity of 73,000 rather than the 60,000 capacity it currently has planning permission for.

The club statement said: “Our commitment to building a new world class Liverpool Football Club stadium is undiminished.

“Like many other major development projects in the UK and overseas we are affected by global market conditions and as such work on the project will be delayed in the short term.

“We will use this period productively and revisit the plans for the stadium to increase its capacity to 73,000 seats.”

Timeline

June 2000: Liverpool FC announces its ambition of developing a new Anfield 60,000-seat stadium in Stanley Park.

May 2002: The ECHO reveals plans and images of a proposed new £70m 55,000-seater Park stadium.

Nov 2006: North-west Development Agency refuses to hand over £9m funding over fears that there was no “clear evidence of the club’s ability to commence with the stadium project”.

March 2007: Fears of a delay to the new ground over plans to increase capacity to 70,000 which could result in a planning inquiry.

Sept 2007: The final slice of public funding for the new ground was agreed when the board of the Northwest Regional Development Agency voted an award of £9.3m to add to the £9m already given from the European Objective 1 fund.

Dec 2007: Liverpool owners Hicks and Gillett call for architects to revise stadium plans.

Jan 2008: Tom Hicks reveals new 71,000-seat stadium plans by architects HKS due to open in August 2011.

May 2008: Third stadium plan is approved.

June 2008: Preparatory works start on new stadium.

July 2008: The Northwest Development Agency refuses to hand over a £9m grant until the club proves it has got the money for the £350m scheme.

July 2008: Images of new stadium revealed in ECHO.
 




Brixtaan

New member
Jul 7, 2003
5,030
Border country.East Preston.
I agree with that: but most of all what this thread shows is that no-one on this board, not one of us, has more than the smallest inkling about the financing of the stadium. It remains cloaked in secrecy for `commercial reasons` - which is fine and necessary. But none of us should therefore be surprised if it does hit problems, because since those financial plans were put in place, the whole finance world has been in turmoil and the rules of 12 months ago are not the rules now. I can't say whether the finances are stable - the only people who can are Martin Perry and the board - and of course their job, outwardly, is to put the best possible shine on things to keep everyone's confidence up. But there must be a chance that the finances, or some part of them, will fall down. I don't know and I certainly hope not - but in this financial climate, there are no certainties.




At last.Sense.
 




The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
I agree with that: but most of all what this thread shows is that no-one on this board, not one of us, has more than the smallest inkling about the financing of the stadium. It remains cloaked in secrecy for `commercial reasons` - which is fine and necessary. But none of us should therefore be surprised if it does hit problems, because since those financial plans were put in place, the whole finance world has been in turmoil and the rules of 12 months ago are not the rules now. I can't say whether the finances are stable - the only people who can are Martin Perry and the board - and of course their job, outwardly, is to put the best possible shine on things to keep everyone's confidence up. But there must be a chance that the finances, or some part of them, will fall down. I don't know and I certainly hope not - but in this financial climate, there are no certainties.

I said this on another thread a few weeks ago, so it might well have been buried. Not that I understand the full blown workings, but here goes...

I was having a conversation with Derek Chapman back in April, who, as you know is very involved in the project.

He was talking about the finances - not the details, just the machinations. He was saying about the fluidity of the financing package and how they can factor in so many variables into the programme (something I'm assuming was a glorified Excel spreadsheet, though probably far more sophisticated than that), including how repayments can be met in the event of a rise or fall in the numbers through the door, a rise or fall in merchandising, sponsorship, advertising, salaries - everything that goes into the running of the club.

"Oh, we've got this programme, you can type any facking numbers in that affect the stadium, and it will give you a whole load of new reports and forecasts. It's brilliant..."

The point I'm making is that the club appears to be very aware of all financial conditions affecting various aspects of trade and industry, and how they might affect the club, and is cutting its cloth accordingly.

That was the feeling I got from him, anyway.
 














Scotty Mac

New member
Jul 13, 2003
24,405
got to be that bhadeb person, surely?
 






portlock seagull

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2003
17,793
The problems at Bristol Rovers and Liverpool are quite different from any that will face the Albion.

Bristol Rovers planned a massive housing development to finance their scheme. The collapse of the housing market has thwarted their plans.
QUOTE]

Very true. Bloke at work is a massive Rovers fan and readily admits that their plans weren't helped by being submitted on the back of a fag packet. Ours has quite quite different. Do not fear. I'm quite relaxed.
 






countrygull

Active member
Jul 22, 2003
1,114
Horsham
Not really considering his first sentance is wildly innacurate.

For a start Martin Perry and several of the other major players in the project team post on here!!

Well clearly I'm not on the inside like you Steward 433 (or should I call you Mr Perry perhaps). I'm delighted to hear that my submission is wrong, that the Albion will be exempt from the turmoil in the finance world affecting every bank in the world and that all will be well. I shall sleep happy now that you have reassured me. My blind faith is restored. :rolleyes:
 




Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
Well clearly I'm not on the inside like you Steward 433 (or should I call you Mr Perry perhaps). I'm delighted to hear that my submission is wrong, that the Albion will be exempt from the turmoil in the finance world affecting every bank in the world and that all will be well. I shall sleep happy now that you have reassured me. My blind faith is restored. :rolleyes:

It is amazing what they tell the stewards these days.

One day they will tell them how to steward.
 


Hannibal smith

New member
Jul 7, 2003
2,216
Kenilworth
On a slightly different note, I've just added Steward 433 to my ignore list as I got fed up with reading page upon page of endless posts of utter SHITE. This thread is actually readable now.

All of a sudden the board is a better place again.
 


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