Stadium Update

[Firestorm]

So no one else feels that the delay is down the the councils slice of central Government funding for 2013-2014 being badly effected by sizeable finite income being declared in the 4th quarter...

 

[Smiffy]

We were never going to be financing a stand on our own. There will be a partner brought in to handle the bulk of the finance. Until there's movement on the other three stands though - which an agreement to the modified S106 would be - I don't see it as very likely that there's going to be visible movement on the main stand. But at the same time there's a clear business case for that stand and my understanding of the revised planning agreement is that Ron can't move on with the rest of the project without that stand being also built.

See my post above Beefy. RM can commence work on the Retail arm as soon as the 3 sides are built. In fact he can start work to footplate level on the retail arm, as soon as the foundations are in for the stadium.

 

[southend4ever]

Kids can get into the game for a quid every game already in the family enclosure but its still pretty empty. (albeit with an adult).

Deals get a short term increase, but they never last, to really attract kids to the club will be easier if the new stadium is completed. Going to a fantastic stadium will count far more to long term retention than ticket deals. Needs 4 stands first though.

If you live in London AS A KID - how do you decide which London club to support?

Friends and Family come into it.
Location comes into it.
Favourite Players come into it.
Position in league comes into it.
Ticket price probably doesn't come into it as they are fairly equal and your parents will pay and their allegiance has already been decided.

Quite frankly there is not an overnight solution. When you can hop on a train and get into London in half hour I wouldn't think that a 4 sided 22,000 seater stadium would make a huge deal of difference but over time if all things pull together at the same time then it will certainly help!

 

[Smiffy]

If that's the case then I take back what I said and would be equally concerned. However that wasn't my reading of the proposed agreement. My understanding was that phase two could only begin in conjuction with the construction of the main stand.

Does anyone have the wording to hand?

:unsure:

That to me says as soon as the 3 sides are up, then the Retail arm can be kitted out ready for trading.

 

[Pubey]

Why?

Because if RM can raise the funds for a pointless Retail park, then he should be ploughing that into getting the Main Stand built, before anything else.

Or is that me being a selfish fan?

Sadly I think a retail park would be a more attractive investment than the main stand. It may be necessary to start work on that to bring in some mulah to get the main stand going. I'd be useful to see the S106 again to see if it is the case that work can start on the retail park before the main stand, or if they have to be developed at the same time. A time limit on the main stand was also being discussed... what would happen if RM was to breach that?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Why?

Because if RM can raise the funds for a pointless Retail park, then he should be ploughing that into getting the Main Stand built, before anything else.

Or is that me being a selfish fan?

Come on, you've seen Dragon's Den.

Which project do you think is easier to sell to investors?

 

[Pubey]

View attachment 2015


:unsure:

That to me says as soon as the 3 sides are up, then the Retail arm can be kitted out ready for trading.

I think you're right there. Still, unless there is a time limit to force RM to build the main stand then I think we'll just have to wait for him to be ready to finance it (if ever...). Seeing as the majority of the revenue streams for the club rely on the main stand (corporate stuff) then I'd expect it to come along pretty quickly.

 

[Beefy]

View attachment 2015


:unsure:

That to me says as soon as the 3 sides are up, then the Retail arm can be kitted out ready for trading.

Ok, well that contradicts the info that I think you pulled from the council site last month which stated that phase two had to be built alongside phase 1B (the main stand):

The proposed phasing is now as follows:

Phase 1A (edged blue) – 14,000 Seat stadium north, south and east stands
Phase 1B (edged blue) – 8,000 Seat west stand and hotel
Phase 2 (edged red) – Retail and Leisure
Phase 3 (edged green) – Residential

2.5 In accordance with agreement reached at SBC’s Development Control Committee on 25 May
2011 the Section 106 Agreement will be varied to allow a minor contingency either side of
14,000 seats (Phase 1A) as follows:

‘provision of a minimum of 13,663 and maximum of 14,221 seats in the north, south and east stands of the stadium’
. The remainder will be provided in the west stand within Phase 1B up to a total of 22,000 seats.

2.6 The approximate timescales for the Phasing of the stadium are as follows:

Phase 1A – Completed 12 months after start date
Phase 1B – Work will commence 6 months into construction of Phase 1A and will take approximately 18 months to complete (approximately 12 months post completion of Phase 1A)

Phase 2 – Construction will take place alongside Phase 1B

Phase 3 – This phase will commence following completion of Phase 2

2.7 It is anticipated that construction of Phase 1A will commence in Spring 2013

http://www.shrimperzone.com/vb/show...tadium-plans&p=1461508&viewfull=1#post1461508

 

[Jam_Man]

If you live in London AS A KID - how do you decide which London club to support?

Friends and Family come into it.
Location comes into it.
Favourite Players come into it.
Position in league comes into it.
Ticket price probably doesn't come into it as they are fairly equal and your parents will pay and their allegiance has already been decided.

Quite frankly there is not an overnight solution. When you can hop on a train and get into London in half hour I wouldn't think that a 4 sided 22,000 seater stadium would make a huge deal of difference but over time if all things pull together at the same time then it will certainly help!

Kids cant hop on trains to london though which is the time when they choose their club.

My kids get taken to Roots Hall, now when my son is old enough to start choosing his own team then he will already have lots of Southend games under his belt to sway him towards Southend.

At that point he may well choose a premiership team to support, but if Fossetts is built by then he has a nice attractive option on his doorstep that he will get taken to.

He will not get to go to a London club until he is well out of school, I wont ever take him to any games up there.

So the question is can Southend continue to be of interest to him? Id say having a new stadium to be proud of will certainly be a major factor in it.

Plenty of kids will still choose Chelsea/Man Utd, but the better our club is the more will have a nice local alternative.

 

[Smiffy]

I think you're right there. Still, unless there is a time limit to force RM to build the main stand then I think we'll just have to wait for him to be ready to finance it (if ever...). Seeing as the majority of the revenue streams for the club rely on the main stand (corporate stuff) then I'd expect it to come along pretty quickly.

From memory RM has 5 years to complete the main stand once the 3 sides are up.

Failure to comply means phase 3 (residential) cannot be constructed. Who is to say the goalposts wont be moved on that either though.

 

[Smiffy]

Ok, well that contradicts the info that I think you pulled from the council site last month which stated that phase two had to be built alongside phase 1B (the main stand):

The proposed phasing is now as follows:

Phase 1A (edged blue) – 14,000 Seat stadium north, south and east stands
Phase 1B (edged blue) – 8,000 Seat west stand and hotel
Phase 2 (edged red) – Retail and Leisure
Phase 3 (edged green) – Residential

2.5 In accordance with agreement reached at SBC’s Development Control Committee on 25 May
2011 the Section 106 Agreement will be varied to allow a minor contingency either side of
14,000 seats (Phase 1A) as follows:

‘provision of a minimum of 13,663 and maximum of 14,221 seats in the north, south and east stands of the stadium’
. The remainder will be provided in the west stand within Phase 1B up to a total of 22,000 seats.

2.6 The approximate timescales for the Phasing of the stadium are as follows:

Phase 1A – Completed 12 months after start date
Phase 1B – Work will commence 6 months into construction of Phase 1A and will take approximately 18 months to complete (approximately 12 months post completion of Phase 1A)

Phase 2 – Construction will take place alongside Phase 1B

Phase 3 – This phase will commence following completion of Phase 2

2.7 It is anticipated that construction of Phase 1A will commence in Spring 2013

http://www.shrimperzone.com/vb/show...tadium-plans&p=1461508&viewfull=1#post1461508

I think that is what RM proposes, rather than that being part of the S106 agreement.

 

[southend4ever]

Kids cant hop on trains to london though which is the time when they choose their club.

My kids get taken to Roots Hall, now when my son is old enough to start choosing his own team then he will already have lots of Southend games under his belt to sway him towards Southend.

At that point he may well choose a premiership team to support, but if Fossetts is built by then he has a nice attractive option on his doorstep that he will get taken to.

He will not get to go to a London club until he is well out of school, I wont ever take him to any games up there.

So the question is can Southend continue to be of interest to him? Id say having a new stadium to be proud of will certainly be a major factor in it.

Plenty of kids will still choose Chelsea/Man Utd, but the better our club is the more will have a nice local alternative.

Nor can they get to grounds without getting a lift from their parents - my point being if their parents go they can travel with them. My actual point was to look at who kids decide to support when they have a lot of professional football clubs that are accessible and when people around them will support different clubs. Kids will also start supporting a club without actually going to a game. So just like your kids go to Southend others may go elsewhere or not at all.

A full ground adds to an experience but there are a lot of reasons ahead of that which help you decide who you will support.

As per your final point - that essentially agrees with mine that all things added together it will help to enhance Southend United Football Club.

 

[londonblue]

For the same reason the stadium has gone from a 22,000 seater to a 14,000 seater.

Would us fans have been as keen to march to the Southend and Rochford Council offices for a 3 sided monstrousity?

He has dangled the carrot and is attempting to whip it away just before the donkey grabs it. But it would appear the donkey now has the *** ache and is considering kicking the man dangling it in the nuts.

Totally disagree. He may have screwed up by not getting the stadium built yet, but I don't for one second think he intended to "downgrade to 3 sides" (especially as the missing side is the one that will bring in the revenue), and to reduce the payment to the council. I think circumstances have left him no option.

 

[Jam_Man]

Totally disagree. He may have screwed up by not getting the stadium built yet, but I don't for one second think he intended to "downgrade to 3 sides" (especially as the missing side is the one that will bring in the revenue), and to reduce the payment to the council. I think circumstances have left him no option.

His original intentions were long ago screwed by his ability to deliver.

Circumstances changed his options, who knows if he ever had other options that would have been to the benefit of the development but at detriment to Ron Martin though.

 

[Bluesmanager]

You lot are hilarious you really are. A few weeks ago practically all who commented on the revised 106 agreement news were saying the council really has no choice but to pass them and it isn't anything to worry about, and some even commended Ron on a bit of good financial brinkmanship.

Now we have news that more or less 100% guarantees building work to start if they do pass the ammendments and still the worlds coming to and end some are still convinced it'll never happen anyway.

I really do think that IF, and I do say IF, it ever makes it to 4 sides some on here are just going to say bollocks, I ain't going. I hate Ron Martin to much and he built it.

25 fekkin years we've waited for Southend United FC to get a new stadium and here we are closer than we've ever been before and all you lot can bleat on about is the fact it may be 3 sided for a while, or longer. I think a little perspective should be used here. Put aside the personal hatred and mistrust just for a second and be thankful we're not where we were 15 odd years ago.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving that we're making headway on the topic, I'm just sick and tired of hearing the same old "we're nearly there, we just need to do this" - well, why don't you do it then instead of standing here talking about it Ron?

 

[Cricko]

I don't understand some of you TBH..The plan as far as RM is concerned is to get us out of RH at the least possible cost...His profit lies there not in some retail development at FF..

Sainsbury's have agreed to cough up £15mill to cover the three sided joke...The retail park is a dead duck in this economic climate...Once we are off RH he can then get on with the moneymaker that is his only chance of survival.

Anybody who thinks this is not his plan seriously needs to take a step back and see the man for who he is.

 

[Firestorm]

I don't understand some of you TBH..The plan as far as RM is concerned is to get us out of RH at the least possible cost...His profit lies there not in some retail development at FF..

Sainsbury's have agreed to cough up £15mill to cover the three sided joke...The retail park is a dead duck in this economic climate...Once we are off RH he can then get on with the moneymaker that is his only chance of survival.

Anybody who thinks this is not his plan seriously needs to take a step back and see the man for who he is.

So if Sainsbury are paying 15 Million for the stadium and the retail park is a dead duck , what exactly is the Money maker for RM ?
Considering that the club has already borrowed almost 10 M off RM companies which will not get paid back, Sainsbury would need to be paying over 25M for RH for Ron to be breaking even if there was to be no profit in the Retail park

 

[Cricko]

So if Sainsbury are paying 15 Million for RH and the retail park is a dead duck , what exactly is the Money maker for RM ?

I would say the colossal amount of ground left when Sainsburys have got their supermarket on the car park and Prospects area of the ground....the actual stadium area is free for housing etc.

I think it was TB who last told me the whole site is worth between £30-35 mill.

 

[united we stand]

I think that is what RM proposes, rather than that being part of the S106 agreement.

I am confused. The below is part of the amended plan that Ron has recently given to the council. Therefore if final planning permission is given it is on this amended plan, which also incliudes the S106 changes. Therfore the scanned page you put up earlier is out of date and is no longer relevant , and the below is the correct version of events. Is my understanding correct? To me this is a big deal and is the understanding that I have had since reading the amended plan

, well that contradicts the info that I think you pulled from the council site last month which stated that phase two had to be built alongside phase 1B (the main stand):

The proposed phasing is now as follows:

Phase 1A (edged blue) – 14,000 Seat stadium north, south and east stands
Phase 1B (edged blue) – 8,000 Seat west stand and hotel
Phase 2 (edged red) – Retail and Leisure
Phase 3 (edged green) – Residential

2.5 In accordance with agreement reached at SBC’s Development Control Committee on 25 May
2011 the Section 106 Agreement will be varied to allow a minor contingency either side of
14,000 seats (Phase 1A) as follows:

‘provision of a minimum of 13,663 and maximum of 14,221 seats in the north, south and east stands of the stadium’
. The remainder will be provided in the west stand within Phase 1B up to a total of 22,000 seats.

2.6 The approximate timescales for the Phasing of the stadium are as follows:

Phase 1A – Completed 12 months after start date
Phase 1B – Work will commence 6 months into construction of Phase 1A and will take approximately 18 months to complete (approximately 12 months post completion of Phase 1A)

Phase 2 – Construction will take place alongside Phase 1B

Phase 3 – This phase will commence following completion of Phase 2

2.7 It is anticipated that construction of Phase 1A will commence in Spring 2013

 

[mrsblue]

I don't understand some of you TBH..The plan as far as RM is concerned is to get us out of RH at the least possible cost...His profit lies there not in some retail development at FF..

Sainsbury's have agreed to cough up £15mill to cover the three sided joke...The retail park is a dead duck in this economic climate...Once we are off RH he can then get on with the moneymaker that is his only chance of survival.

Anybody who thinks this is not his plan seriously needs to take a step back and see the man for who he is.

This is imo on the money 100%,Ron has no need to splash millions on the main stand as come what may when the dealine arrives he will duck and dive and again push the council into a corner.

Some of you are still clinging on for dear life.