Villa Park Redevelopment

[Dogtanian]

Disappointing news. You obviously can't develop without some loss of capacity and revenue. The North Stand desperately needs replacing. The facilties are outdated. Liverpool have added a lot more capacity over several years and I understand their capacity will be around 57,000. Not a single seat has been added to Villa Park in over 20 years - Deadly Doug replaced the Trinity Road stand in the last major redevelopment of the stadium. Demand is at record levels, and the club has failed to satisfy that demand. I can't believe the redevelopment will take over 2 years to complete. Surely the lower part of of the North Stand can be retained and demolish the rear structure for expansion?

It's not the seats though, the big money is to be made on offering better corporate offerings, VIP experiences, and more expensive ticket options. You can up the capacity in the North and add some of these, but you're stuck for the rest of the ground.

[Flamingo Lane]

Whatever the merits or otherwise of not proceeding with the new stand, the means of communication (buried in an interview described as a mid-season update) is pretty poor.

[Risso]

Would there be no possibility of temporarily filling in the two corners either side of the Holte while the North was being rebuilt?

[Pat Mustard]

The LDV/HS2 site is the interesting one - a load of the land has just been released by HS2 because they don't need it. That was before the downgrade too.


Tie that into the planned new stations on the existing railway line there and the Metro to Star City - as well as the existing station at Aston, which is a similar walking distance, then the transport doesn't look too bad...

The Metro isn't going to Star City anytime soon though, and new stations are pie in the sky if they can't even get the old ones up to scratch.  That LDV site would have all of the disadvantages of an out of town bowl (no easy access to the city centre, no local amenities etc.) with none of the advantages of ease of car access.

Realistically, the only site in the whole of Birmingham that might make sense for a new ground would be the Wheels site (plenty of land, close to city centre, on existing rail and metro routes), but it just wouldn't be right for Villa.  Other than there, Villa Park is already the best site available for a 50k+ stadium, and it's a pisser that the plans have been kicked back again for what is now the third or fourth time.  Added to everything else Heck has overseen (badge fiasco, Holte Suite, Terrace View, price increases) it leaves a bad taste when everything else is so positive.  Does anyone have any idea what his remit is, other than to piss off existing supporters?

[pauliewalnuts]

Whatever the merits or otherwise of not proceeding with the new stand, the means of communication (buried in an interview described as a mid-season update) is pretty poor.

Definitely agree with this when you consider there are people who have sat in the north stand for years who have assumed they’d lose their seat after this season.

[Risso]

Ground share with Blues incoming!

[Toronto Villa]

The actual stadium at Spurs is brilliant, I went fully expecting to hate it and thought it was brilliant. Getting to it, not so great.

If Villa want to push on the capacity and corporate has to grow. At present to do that in the current space is very difficult and i would imagine doesn't give the return on investment needed to justify it, at a time where filling Villa Park is vital.

The answer isn't easy, but there has to be a compromise along the way I fear.

One thing is for sure, no newly built stadium can feel like Villa Park did last week against Man City and Arsenal. The history, the pitch, the emotion, connectivity with the players and people around you. How you retain the soul of a football club in that move, I just don't know.

The atmosphere when we beat Derby at Wembley was pretty special. The atmosphere when we played Luton at home this season was as flat as a witch's tit.

You learn something every day. I had no idea a witch’s tit was flat.

[Monty]

Ground share with Blues incoming!

:'(

[dave.woodhall]

The LDV/HS2 site is the interesting one - a load of the land has just been released by HS2 because they don't need it. That was before the downgrade too.


Tie that into the planned new stations on the existing railway line there and the Metro to Star City - as well as the existing station at Aston, which is a similar walking distance, then the transport doesn't look too bad...

The Metro isn't going to Star City anytime soon though, and new stations are pie in the sky if they can't even get the old ones up to scratch.  That LDV site would have all of the disadvantages of an out of town bowl (no easy access to the city centre, no local amenities etc.) with none of the advantages of ease of car access.

Realistically, the only site in the whole of Birmingham that might make sense for a new ground would be the Wheels site (plenty of land, close to city centre, on existing rail and metro routes), but it just wouldn't be right for Villa.  Other than there, Villa Park is already the best site available for a 50k+ stadium, and it's a pisser that the plans have been kicked back again for what is now the third or fourth time.  Added to everything else Heck has overseen (badge fiasco, Holte Suite, Terrace View, price increases) it leaves a bad taste when everything else is so positive.  Does anyone have any idea what his remit is, other than to piss off existing supporters?

Like.

[London Villan]

The LDV/HS2 site is the interesting one - a load of the land has just been released by HS2 because they don't need it. That was before the downgrade too.


Tie that into the planned new stations on the existing railway line there and the Metro to Star City - as well as the existing station at Aston, which is a similar walking distance, then the transport doesn't look too bad...

The Metro isn't going to Star City anytime soon though, and new stations are pie in the sky if they can't even get the old ones up to scratch.  That LDV site would have all of the disadvantages of an out of town bowl (no easy access to the city centre, no local amenities etc.) with none of the advantages of ease of car access.

Realistically, the only site in the whole of Birmingham that might make sense for a new ground would be the Wheels site (plenty of land, close to city centre, on existing rail and metro routes), but it just wouldn't be right for Villa.  Other than there, Villa Park is already the best site available for a 50k+ stadium, and it's a pisser that the plans have been kicked back again for what is now the third or fourth time.  Added to everything else Heck has overseen (badge fiasco, Holte Suite, Terrace View, price increases) it leaves a bad taste when everything else is so positive.  Does anyone have any idea what his remit is, other than to piss off existing supporters?

To an extent, but even if a decision was made today it would be 10 years before a ball is kicked at a new stadium - enough time to get the stations built - but maybe not the Metro.

Oh... and all of the amenities would be on site - so more fans would have to use the ground's facilities.

[andyh]

I am sure I read there are over 3k seats 'recoverable' in the Holte End if they are able to remove the hardcore from the old HE used as infill ?
Or did I dream that ?   

[Flamingo Lane]

Where/what is the Wheels site?

[Risso]

Ground share with Blues incoming!

:'(

"We want to synthesise the love and pride that all people from Birmingham feel for the two great teams in England's third city, and maximise the synergistic gains achievable from combining two world class operations, whilst maximising shareholder utility and increasing the P/E ratio for our valued capital investment partners, our number one key performance indicator."

[langleylions]

Its in nose territory so no for me

[London Villan]

Where/what is the Wheels site?

Banger/Stock Car/Karting venue in Duddeston/Nechells that the Council have closed down and they are now hawking around to sell it off.

Stone's throw from St Andrews and potential location for their new 10,000 seater stadium.