Demolition

[Chris Smith]

I think a hotel would do well, would always be full on match days and on non match days the right price would attract the Tourists with city centre hotels now quite pricey on certain dates. Short hop over to Witton Station

I can't see any circumstances where a hotel would attract tourists outside of game days.  Seriously why would anyone stay in the middle of Aston when there are numerous options on the outskkirts of the city?  If they think they can fill it through game days, conferences etc then great, but even as a fan I wouldn't contempate staying there.

You can find a Travelodge, Premier Inn or suchlike near to many motorway junctions, people stay in them for work and because they fit into their companies budget not for the local attractions. Combine that with match day visitors and I reckon it will do well.

[dave.woodhall]

The thing about the hotel gets brought up every so often and the point is missed every time. It wouldn't be a hotel aimed at tourists, or at Villa supporters. It would be a hotel five minutes from the hub of the national motorway network, ten minutes from the city centre and twenty from the NEC/airport. It's a potential goldmine.

[waynejames]

I'll bet I played indoor cricket against you.

Who did you play for?
Some strangely named sides down there if I remember.

[Nunkin1965]

Potential business opportunities are huge with this. Links to the city centre and corporate facilities at the club alone would make this a finanicial success.  It's not just about us as supporters is it?
If its properly marketed and managed (which it will be) and  pitched to the correct audience then its surely a positive move?

[Legion]

I'll bet I played indoor cricket against you.

Who did you play for?
Some strangely named sides down there if I remember.

Embarrasingly, I can't remember. I'll ask a friend.

[Legion]

The 4-a-side football teams were The All Blacks and Legion.

[Dazvillain]

I saw an advert on LinkedIn this morning for Fanatics, for a Head of Retail to be based at Villa Park.

F
Re my shirts sales....following redundancy last year after 32 years in retail, I’m the man 🤣🤣

[KRS]

Used to play 5-a-side (well 7 with 2 subs) down there on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Haven’t read all the details in this thread, but do we know when is all this demolition work is going to start? Presumably at the end of the season?

[waynejames]

The way to go with the vast land potential Villa Park offers is to yes build a hotel, and a bloody good one at that. One with pitch view rooms to boot. Once done there are other options for the club to tap into. If you look at the impressive exhibition hall/hotel at the Ricoh and look at how Sheffield United have a World Snooker Academy at Bramall Lane, just two examples of how football/rugby stadiums can promote non football related leisure events.
Obviously a museum would be a great addition and I think a place of worship/multifaith community building would be fantastic.

[brentastonb6]

The way to go with the vast land potential Villa Park offers is to yes build a hotel, and a bloody good one at that. One with pitch view rooms to boot. Once done there are other options for the club to tap into. If you look at the impressive exhibition hall/hotel at the Ricoh and look at how Sheffield United have a World Snooker Academy at Bramall Lane, just two examples of how football/rugby stadiums can promote non football related leisure events.
Obviously a museum would be a great addition and I think a place of worship/multifaith community building would be fantastic.

A proper Museum is a must. With our history I always find our ‘stadium’ tours ( one stand ) trophies in the tunnel etc pretty piss poor for the 21st century ( and that’s not being critical of our staff that do them as they are passionate and great considering what they’ve got to work with )  We must have a warehouse somewhere with memorabilia because It isn’t in the current ground . Imagine the tour starting with the Victorian streetscape  and four men under a gas light , the Bearded MacGregor sat round a table with the other chairmen ...... the film footage that could be shown of the ground / team / fans / players down the years . Anyone who has done a Real Madrid stadium tour will know what I mean and whilst they have obviously got a great history most of it is from 1960 onwards.

[Des Little]

Did the Real Madrid tour just a couple of weeks ago and had the same thought - why can't we do this?  Admittedly theirs was a trophy-fest from the fifties/sixties until today, but before then it was nothing to what we could boast.  While we are at it, something official to recognise Ron Saunders would be very fitting.

[Risso]

The thing about the hotel gets brought up every so often and the point is missed every time. It wouldn't be a hotel aimed at tourists, or at Villa supporters. It would be a hotel five minutes from the hub of the national motorway network, ten minutes from the city centre and twenty from the NEC/airport. It's a potential goldmine.

Goldmine or disaster, I know which I'd go for.  There's a Holiday Inn, Travelodge and Premier Inn that aren't far from Villa Park and that share the same characteristics you mention in terms of area, but have the disctinct advantage of not being in Aston.  If I needed to stay in the area for business, I'd either choose one of those, or a hotel actually in the city centre.  There's a good reason there's not a hotel near VP already I would suggest.

[robbo1874]

Agree with you Risso- hotel would never work there! Distance from city centre and right next to a PL football ground with 20-30 matches there per year, disturbing the peace.

Be interested to see what plans they do have for the site though.

[Drummond]

The thing about the hotel gets brought up every so often and the point is missed every time. It wouldn't be a hotel aimed at tourists, or at Villa supporters. It would be a hotel five minutes from the hub of the national motorway network, ten minutes from the city centre and twenty from the NEC/airport. It's a potential goldmine.

Goldmine or disaster, I know which I'd go for.  There's a Holiday Inn, Travelodge and Premier Inn that aren't far from Villa Park and that share the same characteristics you mention in terms of area, but have the disctinct advantage of not being in Aston.  If I needed to stay in the area for business, I'd either choose one of those, or a hotel actually in the city centre.  There's a good reason there's not a hotel near VP already I would suggest.

But they don't have conference facilities on site; good ones at that. Plus with Witton Station 5 minutes walk, and the M6 etc 5 minutes drive, there's potential there. There are plenty of hotels in areas you wouldn't normally consider, but they get booked up all the time. Especially by corporates booking events. As long as the food and drinks offer is good, and the price is right it will attract people and companies whose employees don't choose where they stay.

I went to a conference organised by the City Council in the Holte Suite a few years ago and there were free mini stadium tours laid on at lunchtime for those interested, it was great!

[chrisw1]

The thing about the hotel gets brought up every so often and the point is missed every time. It wouldn't be a hotel aimed at tourists, or at Villa supporters. It would be a hotel five minutes from the hub of the national motorway network, ten minutes from the city centre and twenty from the NEC/airport. It's a potential goldmine.

There's plenty of hotels near the airport, plenty of hotels in the City Centre and near the City Centre and plenty of hotels near the motorway network without having to drive through the back streets of Aston.

You may be right, but I wouldn't put my money on it.