The New Hotel - Original Artists Impression

[FloatLeft]

It's definitely somewhere I'd take my mistress.

 

[supaseagull]

Does anyone have any figures to show how profitable other similar commercial developments have been for other clubs.

I know Chelsea have a hotel and so does Pride Park. I wonder what their turnover is.

 

[mikeyjh]

Does anyone have any figures to show how profitable other similar commercial developments have been for other clubs.

I know Chelsea have a hotel and so does Pride Park. I wonder what their turnover is.

'Pride Park' has several hotels, 'Pride Park Stadium' does not - It was planned, but then some bright spark realised that there's several already, so attention turned to the 'Plaza' being built around the stadium. It's a slightly difficult comparison as PPS is much more central and 10,000 people work on Pride Park....

 

[Creaky]

I don't understand the negativity on this. Those suggesting it's a bad idea clearly don't understand the hotel & conferencing business.

They built a Premier Inn in the middle of the industrial estate in Burgess Hill a couple of years ago. Seemed like a mad place to build a hotel. Half an hour walk from the station, nothing nearby except warehouses, offices & a Tesco. No notable tourist attractions in Burgess Hill. I had cause to pop in whilst at work recently and out of curiosity, asked them what their occupancy rate was like. The reception manager told me they're nearly always full. It all comes from nearby companies.

The Albion are trying to build up the conferencing & events side of things. What's the issue? If it makes the club money (it's a lucrative business) then why complain? You might even get away fans staying over if the rates are half decent.

Reading and Bolton have hotels on site, off the top of my head. Bolton's ground, I seem to recall, isn't even in Bolton, and surrounded by light industrial/ retail premises. If they can make money, surely we can.

The hotel won't belong to the club - the profits won't go to the club and even if they did they couldn't be counted in the FFP calculations.

I do think a hotel at Falmer is viable, I do think it will generate additional non-football related business at the Amex but I also think it goes against the spirit of 'promises' made at the time of the application for building the Amex at Falmer - but hey, what does that matter?

 

[Creaky]

Tony Bloom has a LOT more chance of making his money back on a hotel than he does his investment in the club/stadium. As has already been said, anyone criticising this probably doesn't understand the industry.

Not saying the hotel won't make a profit and also won't reduce TB's losses - both 'good things'.

My criticism lies with the idea of developing the site further despite 'assurances' made that this wouldn't happen.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Not saying the hotel won't make a profit and also won't reduce TB's losses - both 'good things'.

My criticism lies with the idea of developing the site further despite 'assurances' made that this wouldn't happen.

but surely it's just replacing something that was in the original plan anyway (city college building)?

 

[supaseagull]

'Pride Park' has several hotels, 'Pride Park Stadium' does not - It was planned, but then some bright spark realised that there's several already, so attention turned to the 'Plaza' being built around the stadium. It's a slightly difficult comparison as PPS is much more central and 10,000 people work on Pride Park....

Oh ok, didn't realise that.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

The hotel won't belong to the club - the profits won't go to the club and even if they did they couldn't be counted in the FFP calculations.

I do think a hotel at Falmer is viable, I do think it will generate additional non-football related business at the Amex but I also think it goes against the spirit of 'promises' made at the time of the application for building the Amex at Falmer - but hey, what does that matter?

So, what would be the point of the plan then, if it's not going to make the club any profit? I'd like to know why on earth they'd go to the trouble and expense of building it if that's the case?

 

[Superphil]

I would like to see how they think guests will manage when attempting to arrive or depart at 2:30pm or 5:30pm on match Saturdays?....

See below

Perhaps they'll talk to the owners of the hotel at Carrow Road who for a number of years have successfully operated a hotel incorporated into Norwich's stadium?

Do you think Brighton are the only club planning to build a hotel within the immediate environs of their ground?

Quite, add to that off the top of my head Chelsea, Reading & Bolton, it really isn't that unusual.

 

[Superphil]

'Pride Park' has several hotels, 'Pride Park Stadium' does not - It was planned, but then some bright spark realised that there's several already, so attention turned to the 'Plaza' being built around the stadium. It's a slightly difficult comparison as PPS is much more central and 10,000 people work on Pride Park....

It's hardly central, but it is closer to Derby centre that the Amex is to Brighton centre. Also, at least 7,000 work at Sussex & Brighton Universities, so there are comparisons to be made, and there is currently no hotel close by.

 

[Creaky]

So, what would be the point of the plan then, if it's not going to make the club any profit? I'd like to know why on earth they'd go to the trouble and expense of building it if that's the case?

It will I'm sure make a profit - just not for Brighton and Hove Albion Footbal Club Limited - not only will it almost certainly make a profit on its own standing but will also increase business opportunities for the Community Stadium Limited.

Looking at it from TB's point of view then it makes perfect business sense - the profits will feed into the holding company and will help ameliorate the losses coming from the club. So in the sense that TB will be able to continue supporting the club's losses the development will enefit the club - what it won't do is provide profits for the club nor increase its capital assets.

 

[TheBigUnit]

Anyone know where this is at...!?
Just wondering!?

 

[The Large One]

The hotel won't belong to the club - the profits won't go to the club and even if they did they couldn't be counted in the FFP calculations.

Not so. The club will fund it, build it, own it and let it to a hotel company - the club will then get rental revenue.

They are at present going through a viability study to see that the numbers stack up. If those figures look acceptable, then they will put in the planning application.

 

[TheBigUnit]

Not so. The club will fund it, build it, own it and let it to a hotel company - the club will then get rental revenue.

They are at present going through a viability study to see that the numbers stack up. If those figures look acceptable, then they will put in the planning application.

So when is that planning application, likely to be submitted (if it is, at all). Do we know?

 

[skipper734]

I bet it would be difficult to get a room there, most of the time. Business and conferences, weekdays visiting teams, press etc. weekends. More suitable to put up new players, youth etc, so quite a few semi permanent residents, apart from those staying at the Training Ground. What a set up!!!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

It's all for the company balance sheet isn't it. Regardless of how much profit these outside ventures actually make I'm sure the accountants will be able to do some accounting voodoo to maximise their benefit in terms of FFP.

Once the FFP fines and transfer embargos start kicking in I'm sure the other revenue streams will look tlike a very shrewd move. The clubs at our level who aren't doing things like this will get overtaken by those that are, but it still might be 10 years or 20 years down the line, who knows.

I want to know more about this "accounting voodoo" of which you speak.

I had always assumed that accountancy was a boring profession. But are you telling me that it actually involves shrunken heads, wild zombie orgies, biting the heads off live chickens and the like? I'll never look at Paul "Baron Samedi" Samrah the same way ...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I want to know more about this "accounting voodoo" of which you speak.

I had always assumed that accountancy was a boring profession. But are you telling me that it actually involves shrunken heads, wild zombie orgies, biting the heads off live chickens and the like? I'll never look at Paul "Baron Samedi" Samrah the same way ...

I think you're confusing voodoo with heavy metal.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I think you're confusing voodoo with heavy metal.

It's easily done.

 

[El Presidente]

I want to know more about this "accounting voodoo" of which you speak.

I had always assumed that accountancy was a boring profession. But are you telling me that it actually involves shrunken heads, wild zombie orgies, biting the heads off live chickens and the like? I'll never look at Paul "Baron Samedi" Samrah the same way ...

Speaking as a chartered accountant the lifestyle is wild. Sometimes we stare out of the window in the mornings, sometimes we stare out of the window in the afternoons. The variety is endless.