NSWE Investment

[dicedlam]

I think one of the issues the Birmingham Council would have giving the go ahead for a city centre stadium would be the negative response they would receive from the local traders. For all the positives of attracting 60,000 football fans every other week, local businesses would suffer on match days and probably drive away most of the business they would normally do.

[Sexual Ealing]

I think one of the issues the Birmingham Council would have giving the go ahead for a city centre stadium would be the negative response they would receive from the local traders. For all the positives of attracting 60,000 football fans every other week, local businesses would suffer on match days and probably drive away most of the business they would normally do.

This isn't a dig at you, dicedlam, but Birmingham needs to make its mind up what it wants to be. It's either bigger and better than Manchester and all the other non-London cities (and therefore stuff can be built and the increase in footfall is welcomed) or there's no more room left and it needs to pacify local businesses that can't cope with all the extra people. The latter is a passport to stagnation.

[LeeB]

I think one of the issues the Birmingham Council would have giving the go ahead for a city centre stadium would be the negative response they would receive from the local traders. For all the positives of attracting 60,000 football fans every other week, local businesses would suffer on match days and probably drive away most of the business they would normally do.

I will point you to Westfield next to West Ham on matchday, which was absolutely heaving when we went in August.
City centre traders would be rubbing their hands at a regular 60k plus footfall appearing out of nowhere.

[Risso]

I think one of the issues the Birmingham Council would have giving the go ahead for a city centre stadium would be the negative response they would receive from the local traders. For all the positives of attracting 60,000 football fans every other week, local businesses would suffer on match days and probably drive away most of the business they would normally do.

This isn't a dig at you, dicedlam, but Birmingham needs to make its mind up what it wants to be. It's either bigger and better than Manchester and all the other non-London cities (and therefore stuff can be built and the increase in footfall is welcomed) or there's no more room left and it needs to pacify local businesses that can't cope with all the extra people. The latter is a passport to stagnation.

I think it's wrong anyway. Everytime I've been at a Newcastle away game, the city centre is absolutely rammed. Pubs obviously, but also restaurants, shops and cafés. Everywhere basically, it must make a fortune for the local economy. People with access to shops and restaurants after a game will spend a lot more than those sat in traffic for an hour.

[Chip Butty 111]

I'd be surprised if we ended up in a city centre location. The number of objections to it would be huge, the legal to me to you side of things would be like a soap opera. Half of us will be HEITS by the time it was finished

[Simon Page]

If our billionaire owners and their gazillionaire fellow shareholders want to spunk a billion quid in, well, anywhere, I suspect a government desperate for any two-bit investment and a skint council might just clear a path. This isn't Barry Spiv fighting against Tory Councillor House-Price.

On the flip side, what we poor downtrodden fans want makes no difference. Which might not be the worst thing.

[lovejoy]

The Alexander stadium has a capacity of 18,000 and this went up to 32,000 for the Commonwealth Games. Given the football requirements (away fans, segregation etc), the capacity may fall to 30,000. Is this big enough for us to borrow for 3 years?

[tomd2103]

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.

Transport issues are the biggest problem I see with the Alexander Stadium.  I think the space is there, especially if you could purchase the allotments and the setting os a good one.  It is also far enough away to have a captive audience for food / drinks etc.

I went to the Commonwealth Ganes there and they had to put on loads of additional buses to get a 40,000 crowd in and out of there.  Perry Barr Station is a fair walk and Witton and Aston stations even further. 

Why would British athletics give up their showpiece stadium which they have invested heavily in and have the European Championships taking place there in 2026 which the WM Combined Authority are part funding.

It's just conjecture suggesting there and I couldn't see a way around the traffic issues anyway. 

I did think it was owned by the Council though?

[dave.woodhall]

A lot of our supporters already spend money Up Town before the match. Ironically, if a new ground was on the Aston University side of the city centre most of the current places would suffer.

[AV82EC]

A lot of our supporters already spend money Up Town before the match. Ironically, if a new ground was on the Aston University side of the city centre most of the current places would suffer.

What’s the logic there Dave?

[dave.woodhall]

A lot of our supporters already spend money Up Town before the match. Ironically, if a new ground was on the Aston University side of the city centre most of the current places would suffer.

What’s the logic there Dave?

They're by the station and it's a fair hike from the Welly/Colmore/Briar Rose to the Eastside Superdome.

[Risso]

A lot of our supporters already spend money Up Town before the match. Ironically, if a new ground was on the Aston University side of the city centre most of the current places would suffer.

A lot do, but probably more don't. And I bet very few do post match, which isn't the case in Newcastle (or Islington for Arsenal matches).

[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 .

Lack of actual space to build an enormous stadium?

Also, 38 minutes to London? By SpaceX?

It's going to be 38 mins from Birmingham interchange to Euston .
And if you look where the HS2 interchange site is there's loads of land over there to be had

38 minutes to Old Oak Common, is the current plan. Add another 25-30 minutes to get into Euston. HS2 is currently a white elephant and will not add any value to Birmingham or Villa as it stands.

There's no way that HS2 will termimate in OOC, the new government have pretty much already confirmed it's going to Euston so it will be 40  mins from NEC to Euston

[Chris Smith]

A lot of our supporters already spend money Up Town before the match. Ironically, if a new ground was on the Aston University side of the city centre most of the current places would suffer.

A lot do, but probably more don't. And I bet very few do post match, which isn't the case in Newcastle (or Islington for Arsenal matches).

Plenty do post match but it does vary depending on kick off times. The earlier the finish the more likely people are to have a drink in town.

[VillaTim]

Some great pubs over the East end though, Sack, Gunmakers Arms, Bulls Head . Shame The Turks Head and Ben Jiohnson are gone though .