The Infrastructure Projects

[Uwantlee]

So what do we do about the fans who can't get tickets. For 29000 people it's very easy to sit on the side of the city ground. For all those who can't get seats.... Those people need something to change. 5000 extra seats hits about a third of the waiting list.

City ground or no city ground something needs to change and the sooner the better

[Reds26]

Whilst it is obviously ideal to stay at our historical home from a nostalgia perspective, it is neither a value for money investment or optimising our revenue stream. Having gone through a season of battles against the protectionist Premier with regard to PSR we need to arm our selves to the max for the new 80% ruling and other similar rulings. I agree we need to match the ambitions of our owner and every thing we have seen to date suggests he will not produce something anything less than top draw and befitting our club.
Also the ability to develop a stadium without short term disruption is extremely significant. A loss of 10,000 seats for 1 or 2 seasons will have a significant impact on our PSR and potentially consequential to our premier standing. Let us not forget how long we spent in the wilderness and how hard we have had to fight to build our current squad.

[Shawoddyred]

Whilst it is obviously ideal to stay at our historical home from a nostalgia perspective, it is neither a value for money investment or optimising our revenue stream. Having gone through a season of battles against the protectionist Premier with regard to PSR we need to arm our selves to the max for the new 80% ruling and other similar rulings. I agree we need to match the ambitions of our owner and every thing we have seen to date suggests he will not produce something anything less than top draw and befitting our club.
Also the ability to develop a stadium without short term disruption is extremely significant. A loss of 10,000 seats for 1 or 2 seasons will have a significant impact on our PSR and potentially consequential to our premier standing. Let us not forget how long we spent in the wilderness and how hard we have had to fight to build our current squad.

I could be wrong, but I would have thought that ticket revenue lost due to redevelopment would be an allowable offset for PSR. However, I would say that it would have a big effect on our home support, which in my opinion is more of an issue! 

I still firmly believe that we can significantly improve our revenues at the current site and I don't actually think an out of city site would be as magically revenue generating as people seem to think.

[Reds26]

Shawoddyred, you may well be right well that lost ticket revenue is an allowable offset for PSR, but we have been there before with allowable offsets and the goal posts have been moved if stories are to be believed so there are never guarantees with this regard and it is always good to minimise revenue reduction even if this is potentially adjustable.

Also, as you quite rightly state, any potential reduced home support can have a significant effect on atmosphere and we have been reliant on our home form in the last couple of years.

I was extremely please with the original plans for the City Ground, but the trauma of getting these plans realised has definitely revealed ongoing planning issues which will always exist at the current site. Ultimately this will always result in a sub optimal low value for money bodge rather than an a idealistic and wholistic solution , it is just a shame there is not another site of similar size along the river but I trust that the powers that be are more informed than us with this regard.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

So what do we do about the fans who can't get tickets. For 29000 people it's very easy to sit on the side of the city ground. For all those who can't get seats.... Those people need something to change. 5000 extra seats hits about a third of the waiting list.

City ground or no city ground something needs to change and the sooner the better

I think we are now looking at the possibility of finding a way to increase the CG by a further 15,000.

If that indeed is the case then I am all for stopping where we are thank you very much.

Where does the idea come from that if we move into a new 50,000 seater stadium then we are all of a sudden going to turn into a top six club?

[wassy04]

If we can find a way to increase the CG to an amount that is deemed worthwhile that'd be great.

I think the issue that seems to be ignored is the cost. EM is essentially paying for this, if we're saying the cost of the CG rebuild is going to be X, then he's going to be footing the bill. Now from that perspective, would it be a good move for him to spend 500m on a stadium rebuild that doesn't really offer value for money, probably not (and this would apply to any owner of Forest). It seems to me that rebuilding the City Ground isn't particularly financially viable. I think someone spending that kind of money would expect a return either financially or with potential for greater sporting success, do we think an extra 5-10k seats gives you enough of a benefit to justify the massive cost?

It seems like the conclusion is not, so then you're really left with the question of do we allow EM to spend 500m to build a new stadium (presumably some of the cost will be offset by whatever happens to the City Ground site?) or do we just stay as is, do smaller cheaper improvements and accept this is the level the club is.

Basically I think it's fairly clear the CG rebuild is not financially viable, hence there are really only two options.

Does anyone think a different owner would be willing to come in and pay to rebuild the CG?

[ToryTom]

So what do we do about the fans who can't get tickets. For 29000 people it's very easy to sit on the side of the city ground. For all those who can't get seats.... Those people need something to change. 5000 extra seats hits about a third of the waiting list.

City ground or no city ground something needs to change and the sooner the better

I think we are now looking at the possibility of finding a way to increase the CG by a further 15,000.

If that indeed is the case then I am all for stopping where we are thank you very much.

Where does the idea come from that if we move into a new 50,000 seater stadium then we are all of a sudden going to turn into a top six club?

Nothing is guaranteed in life but you can make decisions which improve the probability of outcomes. The changing picture as a result of P&S is going to even more equalize league position with income. The owner is ambitious for the club and I share that. Do we want to be a yo yo club at best or do we want to be a force in English football. Do we want to be like a Preston North End or more like a Spurs or Villa. Do we want to say we were once contenders or still be. We did win the European Cup twice in living memory.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

So what do we do about the fans who can't get tickets. For 29000 people it's very easy to sit on the side of the city ground. For all those who can't get seats.... Those people need something to change. 5000 extra seats hits about a third of the waiting list.

City ground or no city ground something needs to change and the sooner the better

I think we are now looking at the possibility of finding a way to increase the CG by a further 15,000.

If that indeed is the case then I am all for stopping where we are thank you very much.

Where does the idea come from that if we move into a new 50,000 seater stadium then we are all of a sudden going to turn into a top six club?

The original development included 170 flats which they were planning to sell to fund construction costs.

We are now in the PL with big income (far more from tv than we will ever get from commercial btw) so do we need the flats or build fewer. EM has deep pockets and a growing empire. Develop the PT stand without the flats, Result a 40k stadium with room for far more corporate space and everyone happy?

[Trailer Park Tom]

They are looking to rebuild the main stand and redevelop half of the bridgford end to have two tiers and join with the new main stand. This would be perfect IMO.

I disagree with the people referring to waiting lists and a desired 50k capacity . If you take the 3k away fans from 29k you are talking just shy of double the current home attendance to fill the ground which will not happen on a weekly basis.

I guarantee any non season card members would get regular tickets with a CG redevelopment and there would probably be an opportunity for 5k new season ticket holders.

Lets focus on getting the football right because if we have another season like this there won't be the same demand.

[ToryTom]

I suspect Toton is also has much about providing a new training ground and academy facilities as it is a multi use 50,000 football stadium. I guess the land is being offered cheaply with no issues about planning permission. It sounds like a brilliant opportunity for the football club.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

So what do we do about the fans who can't get tickets. For 29000 people it's very easy to sit on the side of the city ground. For all those who can't get seats.... Those people need something to change. 5000 extra seats hits about a third of the waiting list.

City ground or no city ground something needs to change and the sooner the better

I think we are now looking at the possibility of finding a way to increase the CG by a further 15,000.

If that indeed is the case then I am all for stopping where we are thank you very much.

Where does the idea come from that if we move into a new 50,000 seater stadium then we are all of a sudden going to turn into a top six club?

Nothing is guaranteed in life but you can make decisions which improve the probability of outcomes. The changing picture as a result of P&S is going to even more equalize league position with income. The owner is ambitious for the club and I share that. Do we want to be a yo yo club at best or do we want to be a force in English football. Do we want to be like a Preston North End or more like a Spurs or Villa. Do we want to say we were once contenders or still be. We did win the European Cup twice in living memory.

This is what i keep getting at.

How does a new stadium guarantee that we will be a force in English football? We are a million miles behind Manchester City, Manchester Unitrd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham etc. There is no magic wand with a new stadium. We could just as easily fall out of the PL than suddenly become a force. 

It will be on the pitch that will make us a top side again not a new stadium. You don't get any points for building a new ground, points are earned out on the pitch.

[Widdow]

Let’s get recruitment right, a style of play, well managed on the pitch.

Let’s get sponsorship and the commercial side working to the max.

I think they call it magic on and off the pitch and let’s see where that takes us.