NSWE Investment

[The Edge]

The boat has been missed as far as a city centre stadium is concerned.
It is pretty certain we are moving, the new investment partners is another clue.
i am sure it will be in the midlands though.

NEC area is still my guess.

And you can shove that guess where the sun don't shine.

[Mister E]

What is currently being developed alongside the A47, just before the M6N turn-off onto the A38? - there's a massive site being cleared.

[lovejoy]

What is the sweet spot for capacity. Clearly if you are going to build you want to maximise the seating but supporting Villa is a peaks and troughs experience. If you over expand the tension for tickets falls away and this reduces attendances as people decide not to go "on the day". c60,000 might be too big?

[lennythekad]

What is currently being developed alongside the A47, just before the M6N turn-off onto the A38? - there's a massive site being cleared.

HS2 depot and sidings

[dave shelley]

Fuck 'em, build it in Sutton Park.   

[kippaxvilla2]

Kings Norton Park is pretty big.  They’d have to build big stands to stop the ball going in the cut.

[ChicagoLion]

The boat has been missed as far as a city centre stadium is concerned.
It is pretty certain we are moving, the new investment partners is another clue.
i am sure it will be in the midlands though.

We really haven’t. There’s a shitload of industrial land which, whilst it’s not currently in the city centre, would be if you built a multipurpose stadium there, eg gun quarter or matalan island.

Don’t get me wrong, my overwhelming preference would be to stay at a redeveloped Villa Park. But if we were to move there’s a compelling case for doing so in the city centre.

Short of buying up a swathe of businesses and flattening them there's no available land big enough.

Then the problem is multiple ownership, change of use, industrial contamination before you get anywhere near clearance costs and access points.

[Dante Lavelli]

What is the sweet spot for capacity. Clearly if you are going to build you want to maximise the seating but supporting Villa is a peaks and troughs experience. If you over expand the tension for tickets falls away and this reduces attendances as people decide not to go "on the day". c60,000 might be too big?

I think this is where location is vital.  If its 20 minutes walk from New Street then your catchment area is massive.  There’s a bit of sick in my mouth but if we’re properly city centre/HS2 then day trippers will pay London prices to fill the GA+.

[tomd2103]

What is the sweet spot for capacity. Clearly if you are going to build you want to maximise the seating but supporting Villa is a peaks and troughs experience. If you over expand the tension for tickets falls away and this reduces attendances as people decide not to go "on the day". c60,000 might be too big?

Good question - West Ham had a significant capacity increase when they moved and seem to have been able to fill it, albeit in London.  It will be interesting to see what happens with Everton.

If we are staying at Villa Park, a good approach for us would be to redevelop the North Stand to take us to 52,000 and see from there.  It would give us a few years to look at options for the Witton Road and we could look to expand that if necessary. 

[ozzjim]

Alex stadium and surrounding site is the easiest. The stadium makes no money at all and has lost most commercially viable events, is on a large plot, and the council need money.

[ozzjim]

What is the sweet spot for capacity. Clearly if you are going to build you want to maximise the seating but supporting Villa is a peaks and troughs experience. If you over expand the tension for tickets falls away and this reduces attendances as people decide not to go "on the day". c60,000 might be too big?

I think this is where location is vital.  If its 20 minutes walk from New Street then your catchment area is massive.  There’s a bit of sick in my mouth but if we’re properly city centre/HS2 then day trippers will pay London prices to fill the GA+.

Blues are gambling on the HS2 crowd coming in droves to their new sports quarter.

[pauliewalnuts]

Alex stadium and surrounding site is the easiest. The stadium makes no money at all and has lost most commercially viable events, is on a large plot, and the council need money.

What problem does that solve, though?

Size? Possibly. Transport links? Not really. Close enough to the city centre? No.

[VillaTim]

Alex stadium and surrounding site is the easiest. The stadium makes no money at all and has lost most commercially viable events, is on a large plot, and the council need money.

Wrong location though . Arse end of nowhere.

[ozzjim]

Alex stadium and surrounding site is the easiest. The stadium makes no money at all and has lost most commercially viable events, is on a large plot, and the council need money.

What problem does that solve, though?

Size? Possibly. Transport links? Not really. Close enough to the city centre? No.

Depends how you do the transport links and how much money you throw at it. The city centre bit has sailed somewhat with the knighthead lot getting very in with the council. There is not going to be another reasonably adjacent city centre site, and you are not going to move out to the NEC area.

[VillaTim]

I don't want the NEC site but a lot points to it . Motorways / Airport / HS2 Interchange site / 38 mins to London / Resorts World and retail park , hotels etc all there . It's absolutely the perfect spot from a business / logistical perspective .