Villa Park Redevelopment

[PeterWithesShin]

Initial work prepping the site started a couple of years before. Everton stadium will be 4 years. Emirates took over 2 years to build but that was just the stadium build on a blank site, it didn't include actually clearing the site. We are so hemmed in that early work would most likely be minimal. And regardless of build time, it's years away from being possible because of Witton Lane and the houses.

A complete rebuild would take years in terms of all the planning, any CPOs etc, but that doesn't mean we'd playing in another stadium for 3 or 4 years.

The demolition and rebuild would be more than 2 years though. Arsenal, Spurs and Everton show us that. But it's not worth debating forever as it's the best part of a decade away from happening even if they are thinking of it.

[chrisw1]

And that lack of confidence happened 4 days after the investment vehicle for Comcast (who own multiple stadiums in the US) decide to buy into the parent group. And that doesn't smell remotely fishy to you? It's all scaling back?

Well the meeting happened 4 days after if that's what you mean.

Maybe you're right, we'll see.  I'm not holding my breath though.  As I said in an earlier post I think we'll probably be re-looking at another North Stand redevelopment video in 4-5 years time, then another 2-3 years to deliver it, if they actually go through with it next time.

Whatever they choose to do, it will probably be too late to capitalise on the Emery era.

[PeterWithesShin]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

There was a game a while ago where the away side didn't take the upper tier so it was available to Villa fans. From memory there was nothing from the club about it and I think it was Percy that said he grabbed tickets there but only knew about them because someone on here mentioned it.

[chrisw1]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

I think we all agree the 200 seat thing is just an excuse.  A pathetic one at that.

[chrisw1]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

There was a game a while ago where the away side didn't take the upper tier so it was available to Villa fans. From memory there was nothing from the club about it and I think it was Percy that said he grabbed tickets there but only knew about them because someone on here mentioned it.

Exactly.  And if I recall right you couldn't even click on them on the website, it may have been box office sales only?

[Ads]

And that lack of confidence happened 4 days after the investment vehicle for Comcast (who own multiple stadiums in the US) decide to buy into the parent group. And that doesn't smell remotely fishy to you? It's all scaling back?

Well the meeting happened 4 days after if that's what you mean.

Maybe you're right, we'll see.  I'm not holding my breath though.  As I said in an earlier post I think we'll probably be re-looking at another North Stand redevelopment video in 4-5 years time, then another 2-3 years to deliver it, if they actually go through with it next time.

Whatever they choose to do, it will probably be too late to capitalise on the Emery era.

I don't. I think you might as well not bother if it costs £100m to not close the gap in any significant way and instead take £100m away from where you might close it (giving it Emery).

That's why it's my belief we've got Comcast's investment group specifically, aided by a past relationship with Heck to think bigger, bigger requiring more dollar.

[PeterWithesShin]

They'd have been better served saying something like "we've put the North Stand on hold as we want to reevaluate the plans to ensure the best for the long term future of the club." Instead they witter on about 200 seats and create a bigger issue as many will feel they're being treated like idiots.

[aev]

They'd have been better served saying something like "we've put the North Stand on hold as we want to reevaluate the plans to ensure the best for the long term future of the club." Instead they witter on about 200 seats and create a bigger issue as many will feel they're being treated like idiots.

Absolutely.

[Risso]

They'd have been better served saying something like "we've put the North Stand on hold as we want to reevaluate the plans to ensure the best for the long term future of the club." Instead they witter on about 200 seats and create a bigger issue as many will feel they're being treated like idiots.

That interview on the OS was the most amateurish thing I've ever seen.

"So, tell us about the plans for the North Stand, lots of Villa fans are excited about that."

"We're cancelling it."

I mean, this was an in house person asking his boss pre-prepared questions, not some gormless politician facing Jeremy Paxman.

[pauliewalnuts]

They'd have been better served saying something like "we've put the North Stand on hold as we want to reevaluate the plans to ensure the best for the long term future of the club." Instead they witter on about 200 seats and create a bigger issue as many will feel they're being treated like idiots.

YES!

Exactly this.

[pauliewalnuts]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

Some other clubs don't let you select a seat, you select an area of the ground and they allocate you one, ensuring you get, say 3 groups of 2 people in 6 consecutive seats rather than say, each group with an empty seat between.

I bet you what you like we have that pretty soon.

It's incredibly unpopular.

[AV82EC]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

Some other clubs don't let you select a seat, you select an area of the ground and they allocate you one, ensuring you get, say 3 groups of 2 people in 6 consecutive seats rather than say, each group with an empty seat between.

I bet you what you like we have that pretty soon.

It's incredibly unpopular.

But if it fills the stadium and we don’t have the single seat issue?

[pauliewalnuts]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

Some other clubs don't let you select a seat, you select an area of the ground and they allocate you one, ensuring you get, say 3 groups of 2 people in 6 consecutive seats rather than say, each group with an empty seat between.

I bet you what you like we have that pretty soon.

It's incredibly unpopular.

But if it fills the stadium and we don’t have the single seat issue?

Fans still won't like it. Not being able to pick where you sit would go down like a lead balloon.

[dave.woodhall]

There may well be 200 empty seats on average but a lot of that is down to the perception that you can't buy them. If the club announced at the start of the week how many were left and they're on general sale, then updated two days before the match, they'd sell.

There was a game a while ago where the away side didn't take the upper tier so it was available to Villa fans. From memory there was nothing from the club about it and I think it was Percy that said he grabbed tickets there but only knew about them because someone on here mentioned it.

Fulham I think, and they may have been limited numbers because it was above away supporters but they weren't publicised at all.

[Dave P]

Yes it was Fulham and wasn't it publicised about 2 or 3 days before the game?