2018: So what now for Villa Park redevelopment?

[Leighton]

So the decision to host the World Cup in 2018 has been taken, and it isn’t England! So where does that leave the redevelopment of Villa Park, especially the proposed new North Stand?

Do you think the board have been purposely putting the plans on hold until the 2018 host venue was confirmed before committing fully to it? And do we still really need it?

[kippaxvilla2]

Might as well leave it as it is and get back to sorting out things on the pitch.  Let's face it, we struggle to fill a 42k stadium.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I'd prefer we built an winning team and organically developed the stadium due to demand.

[Chris Harte]

They can put that videowall back in the North/DE corner now.

[Captain Trips]

Id fill in the sides by the Holte and press the FA to allow standing at the lower North. That would take us up to 45000+ and the North stand could be developed when we have spare cash

[PeterWithe]

Do you think the board have been purposely putting the plans on hold until the 2018 host venue was confirmed before committing fully to it? And do we still really need it?

We don't need the extra capacity but probably need the extra corporate facilities that a new stand could provide. It would have made sense to delay a decision until the WC venue was announced as no doubt we would have had some funding assistance to build it. Who knows now?

[MonsXI]

Leave the ground as it is!

[Blackcountry Villa]

I'd rather not have 10,000-15,000 empty seats every week.

[vilan461]

Might as well leave it as it is and get back to sorting out things on the pitch.  Let's face it, we struggle to fill a 42k stadium.

           fully agree dont need nor want any more"empty seats my lord"---it dont look good,
  maybe now we might get get the sorely missed video screen back at the corner of the Deadly Doug &NorthStands,--the new eyesore at Trinity/North Stand corner is just a non-entity and a complete waste of space,

[Blackcountry Villa]

I'd also fill the corners of the Holte in, the atmosphere would be much better.

[Lowendbehold]

I'd prefer we built an winning team and organically developed the stadium due to demand.

I agree but I think thats the thinking anyway. 

I was told by one of the senior managers at the club that the stadium will only be enlarged when the demand is there.  I cannot imagine the North stand would be rebuilt for only 2 or 3 WC games, whoever was funding it.

[pedro25]

Yes but we would look a laughing stock filling those corners with seats but then not filling the seats with customers.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'd rather not have 10,000-15,000 empty seats every week.

I thought you were a massive fan of empty seats.

[London Villan]

Do you think the board have been purposely putting the plans on hold until the 2018 host venue was confirmed before committing fully to it? And do we still really need it?

We don't need the extra capacity but probably need the extra corporate facilities that a new stand could provide. It would have made sense to delay a decision until the WC venue was announced as no doubt we would have had some funding assistance to build it. Who knows now?

We don't sell out the corporate seats we already have. An additional 1500-2000 and going to be even harder to sell at the moment.

[montague]

The North Stand needs redeveloping  just because it is so old and uncomfortable. We could probably expand to 50k for the handful of games we could get near to that number but wouldnt go above that. Even in our successful times we rarely went above 50k.

I dont understand why the floating fans cannot be accommodated in the same area of each stand so that the empty seats scenario is minimised. Also light blue seats dont help the scene.