What is the future of Villa Park?

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

We were supposed to be extending/rebuilding the North Stand but nothing has happened.

We could have hosted Olympic football this year but we pulled out and now Coventry have got it.

It also looks like Coventry will get to host matches at the 2015 Rugby World Cup so we are missing out again.

I don't know why we have turned down the privilege of hosting these events when we should be hosting them since Villa Park is the biggest stadium in the Midlands.

However it does look like we are hosting the Community Shield this year so at least that's one positive.

What do you think we should do with Villa Park?

Is there any point in expanding to 50,000+ when we rarely sell out with a 42,000 capacity at the moment?

[nigel]

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head.
The atmosphere at home games is pretty crap, to be honest, bar a few games. So with an extra 10,000 empty seats it would be even worse.

[Summers]

Missing out on hosting Olympic Football is poor business.

[Chipsticks]

I think the plans for expanding Villa Park came during the heart of the MON era when were getting 40-41,000 in against the likes of Wigan etc. But I totally agree with the point that in our current economic climate and with our current attendances, expanding Villa Park would be a waste of money that should be spent on building the squad, which perhaps over time will lead to better attendances.

[philthebar]

I would like to see the Witton End rebuilt/designed, but that is only because it is out of date and ugly (bring back standing a and a big hill) but I don't see any point in expanding and having more empty seats.

As for the rugby world cup  - rather not have rugby played on our pitch

[PaulTheVillan]

Looks like we're taking it apart, with the North End screen gone.

[stubbsyandy]

I think we pulled out of the Olympic football due to the works on the Witton End being scheduled for around now through the Olympics?
A big no to rugby generally, but aas a one off I see no reason why not.
There is no point in expanding the ground as our attendances are below that needed to create the right atmosphere now! There is no doubt that at some stage we need a redesigned WL but at the moment we need to rebuild the team to attract enough supporters to fill what we have.
When we do redevelop, I like the idea of incorporating a standing area, and by then I am guessing it will be allowed.

[midnite]

I think pulling out from the Olympics was a massive mistake. From te money generated alone it would have been a good income during te summer months. As well as the PR with people all around the world mentioning villa park again.

I heard we'd pulled out of the Olympics so we could get the north stand developed ready for the world cup bid which we were supposed to win.

[Billy Walker]

It's all a bit chicken and egg with the North Stand and I think it has been like this since the days of Doug.     The question has always been what's the pointt in expanding when the crowds are currently low, and why waste money on a new stand when the money could be invested in building a team?

I think, ideally, the way we should tackle this question is by planning to build both team and stand together in stages and in parallel.  The key word is "planning", here.  Using genuine insight, vision and ambition to drive such a project forward.  As things stand, compared to clubs like Spurs, Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea we are in an incredibly fortunate position: we don't need to relocate or massively rebuild in order to achieve a fifty thousand plus capacity.

 I would strike while we have the advantage over these other clubs and get this project started as soon as possible.  The pros far outweigh the cons in that it shows the football world that we mean business and we are still an ambitious, upwardly mobile club.  Even if, in the short term, we don't always sell out, I am sure the  new facilities we could offer would gain corporate customers and so on.  Maybe the new stand could be sponsored in some way, too?  Maybe the new high speed rail link to Brum could be factored into the plans and add a new dimension to potential corporate customer numbers?

[Concrete John]

I think, ideally, the way we should tackle this question is by planning to build both team and stand together in stages and in parallel.

Just to pick out one point of your post here - I'm not sure how practical that is?

The reason being that investing money into the team is no guarantee of improvements on the pitch and therefore extra bums on seats in the stands.  So say we had £50m to spend and used £20m to redevelop the North Stand and £30m to get us back challenging.  Can we be sure that £30m would do that?  A bit spent poorly, an injury to a key player or another money bags buy out of one of our rivlas could see us spend and stand still, which would leave us committed to the £20m on the North Stand with very little prospect of filling the extra seats.

I think we need to start selling out regularly again before we commit money to increasing the capacity.     

[The Man With A Stick]

I don't want them sullying VP by playing rugby on it and I'm not losing any sleep over the Olympics being in Coventry either.

[Billy Walker]

I think, ideally, the way we should tackle this question is by planning to build both team and stand together in stages and in parallel.

Just to pick out one point of your post here - I'm not sure how practical that is?

The reason being that investing money into the team is no guarantee of improvements on the pitch and therefore extra bums on seats in the stands.  So say we had £50m to spend and used £20m to redevelop the North Stand and £30m to get us back challenging.  Can we be sure that £30m would do that?  A bit spent poorly, an injury to a key player or another money bags buy out of one of our rivlas could see us spend and stand still, which would leave us committed to the £20m on the North Stand with very little prospect of filling the extra seats.

I think we need to start selling out regularly again before we commit money to increasing the capacity.     

A fair point John.  I think the way I see it we could spend twenty million on players whilst rebuilding the new stand in stages.  Stage One would see the capacity maybe down to forty thousand and the new North Stand at that point would consist of a new lower tier, boxes, offices and so on.  It would be self contained and a money generator (hopefully).  Stage Two, the new upper tier and so on could be given the go ahead as and when the timing is right.

I understand what you say, but my concern would be that if we put all our eggs in one basket and wait for on-field success - or plough the money all into a white elephant of a stand - we will not achieve anything.  Both aspects of the club need to be developed in parallel.

As an example, look at how Man Utd redeveloped Old Trafford in stages, growing the stadium in tandem with growing the club.  Likewise look at Newcastle who attempted to do the same.  Although St.James' Park hasn't been finished in line with the original Sir John Hall masterplan it is still a self-contained stadium that is fit for purpose.  The point I'm making is that even if you can't guarantee the crowds like Man Utd could during their growth spurt, by planning in stages you can minimize risk and still end up with a modern, workable stadium (like Newcastle).

In this spirit I'm keeping a close eye on the redevelopment going on at Wolves.  Looking at their plans it is clear that they are taking the growth of the club in stages and at a stand at a time.  With Villa our financial risk is even smaller because we would be rebuilding our ground - not one stand at a time - but stages of one stand at a time.  We are in an incredibly fortunate position.

[VILLA MOLE]

I also think you could probably get a good deal on the construction side in these tough times in the building trade

if we are not going to rebuild I wish they would give it a lick of paint it is bloody tatty

[DeKuip]

There is also the argument that it makes sense to rebuild when crowds are lower, that way you're not turning away fans whilst the building work is going on. Right now we could knock down the Ugly End and it not really affect attendances - doing it three years ago would have meant losing out on revenue and turning people away.

The worst thing that could happen is we decide to be a stand short just as we sign Lionel Messi!

[Legion]

The North Stand is a carbuncle, but there is no need for a rebuild. Some refurbishment would be nice as it looks grubby from the outside and sticks out like a sore thumb.