Stadium Plans

[Matt]

Fantastic, but if it’s like everything else Andy Street does it will be expensive and late.

Dunno what do you mean, the 700m Wolvo tram extension only took 7 years. Rapid.

 

[Me Babbies]

Fantastic, but if it’s like everything else Andy Street does it will be expensive and late.

Maybe this is where Fosun can use their expertise though?
Don't they have expertise from Shanghai for this type of work?

 

[WKFWolf]

I believe it's always been mooted Fosun want significant support from the council before committing to anything, so hopefully this is a positive step

That Steve Bull stand needs to come down and be redeveloped asap for me

 

[bully306]

I believe it's always been mooted Fosun want significant support from the council before committing to anything, so hopefully this is a positive step

That Steve Bull stand needs to come down and be redeveloped asap for me

Id be happy with an upper tier to the mens toilets!

Plenty of room for this, i checked.

If 500 people could then spend an extra fiver at half time, thats an extra £50k per season or every 20 games. Surely pays for itself in no time.

Making us queue like idiots for 10 mins is a disgrace. I want to spend more at the bar not spend time queueing.

Its like nobody is seeing what happens week in week out for years.

 

[WKFWolf]

Id be happy with an upper tier to the mens toilets!

Plenty of room for this, i checked.

If 500 people could then spend an extra fiver at half time, thats an extra £50k per season or every 20 games. Surely pays for itself in no time.

Making us queue like idiots for 10 mins is a disgrace. I want to spend more at the bar not spend time queueing.

Its like nobody is seeing what happens week in week out for years.

Yet alone the standard of the toilets!

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I believe it's always been mooted Fosun want significant support from the council before committing to anything, so hopefully this is a positive step

That Steve Bull stand needs to come down and be redeveloped asap for me

I just don't understand how anyone thinks this sort of support is there. Basically the council is virtually bankrupt and struggles to provide statutory services, the University is in a pretty bad mess from what I can understand and people think they're going to spend money on a football club. The club has to stand on its own feet, the ring road crossing is the sort of level of investment we might just see.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

I believe it's always been mooted Fosun want significant support from the council before committing to anything, so hopefully this is a positive step

That Steve Bull stand needs to come down and be redeveloped asap for me

Really concerns me they will move us away from Molineux

 

[Matt]

Really concerns me they will move us away from Molineux

Well they definitely wouldn’t get council support for that. Imagine the city centre without a football stadium.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I just don't understand how anyone thinks this sort of support is there. Basically the council is virtually bankrupt and struggles to provide statutory services, the University is in a pretty bad mess from what I can understand and people think they're going to spend money on a football club. The club has to stand on its own feet, the ring road crossing is the sort of level of investment we might just see.

I don’t think Fosun would expect anything more than the ring road crossing from the council. The council told them years ago, when they were talking about a 50k Molineux, that this wouldn’t be allowed without better pedestrian access to the city centre. If the council can secure funding for that, then it removes one of the constraints on expanding Molineux.

The pause on the Box Park recently reported is most likely because there is interest in building it within the Molineux Quarter development. It’s a far better location for it, with regular demand as a match day fan zone, and a student population who will provide custom at other times. If that’s the case, then it suggests something is happening soon regarding the stadium. This may well be tied to the club’s work to secure external investment focused on the stadium.

As for the Uni, as I’ve said before, it doesn’t need to fund the proposed student village. It can secure investment partners who will build it and lease it back to the Uni. The Uni “just” needs to be confident of filling the rooms for a couple of decades. It’s not the same as the bankrupt speculative student housing developments which have been mentioned.

A combination of Fosun / new investor making a commitment to investing in Molineux, and the Uni / new investor making a commitment to the student village, could see the broader Molineux Quarter progress with the council securing public funds for the pedestrian link to the city centre and other changes to the roads / area around Molineux.

Possibly…

 

[WKFWolf]

I don’t think Fosun would expect anything more than the ring road crossing from the council. The council told them years ago, when they were talking about a 50k Molineux, that this wouldn’t be allowed without better pedestrian access to the city centre. If the council can secure funding for that, then it removes one of the constraints on expanding Molineux.

The pause on the Box Park recently reported is most likely because there is interest in building it within the Molineux Quarter development. It’s a far better location for it, with regular demand as a match day fan zone, and a student population who will provide custom at other times. If that’s the case, then it suggests something is happening soon regarding the stadium. This may well be tied to the club’s work to secure external investment focused on the stadium.

As for the Uni, as I’ve said before, it doesn’t need to fund the proposed student village. It can secure investment partners who will build it and lease it back to the Uni. The Uni “just” needs to be confident of filling the rooms for a couple of decades. It’s not the same as the bankrupt speculative student housing developments which have been mentioned.

A combination of Fosun / new investor making a commitment to investing in Molineux, and the Uni / new investor making a commitment to the student village, could see the broader Molineux Quarter progress with the council securing public funds for the pedestrian link to the city centre and other changes to the roads / area around Molineux.

Possibly…

Yeah i didn't mean that they would expect the council to part fund it or anything, but they need to support a redevelopment with better infrastructure, redevelopment of the city centre etc

 

[wwbug]

That picture brings us a bit of hope. But is the Council quite positive to business and change ?

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I don’t think Fosun would expect anything more than the ring road crossing from the council. The council told them years ago, when they were talking about a 50k Molineux, that this wouldn’t be allowed without better pedestrian access to the city centre. If the council can secure funding for that, then it removes one of the constraints on expanding Molineux.

The pause on the Box Park recently reported is most likely because there is interest in building it within the Molineux Quarter development. It’s a far better location for it, with regular demand as a match day fan zone, and a student population who will provide custom at other times. If that’s the case, then it suggests something is happening soon regarding the stadium. This may well be tied to the club’s work to secure external investment focused on the stadium.

As for the Uni, as I’ve said before, it doesn’t need to fund the proposed student village. It can secure investment partners who will build it and lease it back to the Uni. The Uni “just” needs to be confident of filling the rooms for a couple of decades. It’s not the same as the bankrupt speculative student housing developments which have been mentioned.

A combination of Fosun / new investor making a commitment to investing in Molineux, and the Uni / new investor making a commitment to the student village, could see the broader Molineux Quarter progress with the council securing public funds for the pedestrian link to the city centre and other changes to the roads / area around Molineux.

Possibly…

They've put in the pedestrian crossing across the ring road, that's the sort of stuff they can just about afford to do. The days of the City Council funding anything beyond what is essential to stop the entire fabric of society falling apart are long gone. It's all a fantasy, 14 years of destruction of local services have put paid to anything apart from doing the absolute bare essentials and frankly even as a madly dedicated supporter of our local team, it would be insane to let people go without vital services in order to develop a slightly cramped football stadium. That's where we are- thanks. I'd rather not rely on the largesse of some Tory mayor who hopefully will be out of office soon, but in any case will lose his influence over this corrupt administration when they are finally kicked out of office before the end of the year.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

They've put in the pedestrian crossing across the ring road, that's the sort of stuff they can just about afford to do. The days of the City Council funding anything beyond what is essential to stop the entire fabric of society falling apart are long gone. It's all a fantasy, 14 years of destruction of local services have put paid to anything apart from doing the absolute bare essentials and frankly even as a madly dedicated supporter of our local team, it would be insane to let people go without vital services in order to develop a slightly cramped football stadium. That's where we are- thanks. I'd rather not rely on the largesse of some Tory mayor who hopefully will be out of office soon, but in any case will lose his influence over this corrupt administration when they are finally kicked out of office before the end of the year.

I think you’re putting politics before football there. I don’t give a flying fig what party is in control of the local council or WM administration. I’d actually prefer it wasn’t party based in the first place. I’m more interested in what they do, and in this case, whether that benefits my football club or not. If he can help secure public funding to help redevelop the Molineux area, then well done that man.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I think you’re putting politics before football there. I don’t give a flying fig what party is in control of the local council or WM administration. I’d actually prefer it wasn’t party based in the first place. I’m more interested in what they do, and in this case, whether that benefits my football club or not. If he can help secure public funding to help redevelop the Molineux area, then well done that man.

*******s. The council is trying to work out how to cut vital services to people who really need that support. Wolverhampton City council shouldn't be diverting those funds into supporting a football club. If the West Midlands Mayor can find some money from central government (which I doubt) then it will be money that has been taken from local councils for vanity projects to help get him re-elected.

 

[Wolf_1]

If they wanted to borrow from WMCA it would come from the Commercial Investment Fund (CIF)

Commercial Development Funding - WMCA CIF - FDC

Accelerating site regeneration and supporting long term growth in the West Midlands with Commercial Development Funding.

www.frontierdevelopmentcapital.com

 

[rincewind]

It's like people think that the council is going to pay for a new stand! Any money the council put in will be from their fund to develop the area and parts of the wider regeneration scheme and will not be spent on Wolves ground. The university 'might' contribute if a new stand incorporated say a sports science area thar they shared but very speculative. The council will be involved in the clubs planning particularly if the council have their own plans.
That's if anything happens from any party.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Looks like Blues are going to steal a march on us in stadium development at least. The acquisition of the 48 acres up the road from St Andrew's with a major redevelopment that includes a new stadium, bigger than Villa Park and attracting international sports including NFL would top trump anything happening at Molineux.

The fact it's the second city will always put them on the front foot when it comes to international sports events. Now they are likely to have a destination venue which is operational more than once a fortnight.

Yeah, I know it's Blues and they have propensity to brag off and grab defeat from the jaws of victory etc. but a pretty bold vision coming out of St Andrews at the moment (subject yo planning approval and funding and Tom Brady of course).

 

[clivewolves]

Looks like Blues are going to steal a march on us in stadium development at least. The acquisition of the 48 acres up the road from St Andrew's with a major redevelopment that includes a new stadium, bigger than Villa Park and attracting international sports including NFL would top trump anything happening at Molineux.

The fact it's the second city will always put them on the front foot when it comes to international sports events. Now they are likely to have a destination venue which is operational more than once a fortnight.

Yeah, I know it's Blues and they have propensity to brag off and grab defeat from the jaws of victory etc. but a pretty bold vision coming out of St Andrews at the moment (subject yo planning approval and funding and Tom Brady of course).

Sounds impressive. I'll file it under the 'I'll believe it when I see it' section. Can't knock the ambition though.

If they manage to do it I don't think there is much point Wolves trying to compete with it. I know stadiums have to be multi-purpose these days but there's only so many you need in a relatively small area, and a poor one at that. I'd like Wolves to have a big stadium but to try to fill it with cheaper tickets. A bit like West Ham, but they of course had the benefit of taking over the Olympic Stadium. Try to get young fans in.

Mainly though I just want something done while I'm still around to enjoy it. I'm 40 next year so anything in the next 30 odd years would be nice.

 

[Mardenboroughs Shoulder]

Andy and Jeff together again! Just watch your new friend vanish once the election is over Jeff!

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Sounds impressive. I'll file it under the 'I'll believe it when I see it' section. Can't knock the ambition though.

If they manage to do it I don't think there is much point Wolves trying to compete with it. I know stadiums have to be multi-purpose these days but there's only so many you need in a relatively small area, and a poor one at that. I'd like Wolves to have a big stadium but to try to fill it with cheaper tickets. A bit like West Ham, but they of course had the benefit of taking over the Olympic Stadium. Try to get young fans in.

Mainly though I just want something done while I'm still around to enjoy it. I'm 40 next year so anything in the next 30 odd years would be nice.

Thanks for that I'm 60 in October...................

 

[Bill McCai]

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Looks like Blues are going to steal a march on us in stadium development at least. The acquisition of the 48 acres up the road from St Andrew's with a major redevelopment that includes a new stadium, bigger than Villa Park and attracting international sports including NFL would top trump anything happening at Molineux.

The fact it's the second city will always put them on the front foot when it comes to international sports events. Now they are likely to have a destination venue which is operational more than once a fortnight.

Yeah, I know it's Blues and they have propensity to brag off and grab defeat from the jaws of victory etc. but a pretty bold vision coming out of St Andrews at the moment (subject yo planning approval and funding and Tom Brady of course).

An absolutely insane plan. Spend 2-3bn to build a stadium they will rarely is ever fill, when there are already a host of other stadiums and arenas within a 10 mins drive, and a club in danger of sliding into League One? They won’t get public funds to help build it other than cleaning up the site in preparation for any construction.

Either it will never be built as envisioned, or it will become a vast white elephant. On a smaller scale, Darlington built a stadium too big for them, and that became a white elephant which is no longer the club’s home.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

An absolutely insane plan. Spend 2-3bn to build a stadium they will rarely is ever fill, when there are already a host of other stadiums and arenas within a 10 mins drive, and a club in danger of sliding into League One? They won’t get public funds to help build it other than cleaning up the site in preparation for any construction.

Either it will never be built as envisioned, or it will become a vast white elephant. On a smaller scale, Darlington built a stadium too big for them, and that became a white elephant which is no longer the club’s home.

It would be madness for them to do this. They’ve never been a big club attendance wise. They haven’t recorded an average attendance of over 40,000 for 75 years. There average over the last few years has been in the teens and occasionally the low twenties. Where do they think an extra 30,000 fans are going to suddenly appear from? Hasn’t anyone told them that you need to create a demand first?

Get into the Premier League, stay there, consistently finish in the top 6 and then you might need a 50,000 seat stadium. Building one now while in the lower reaches of the Championship and attracting crowds of 20,000 if you’re lucky would be the height of crazy, even if you do get a surge in interest through a promotion challenge the crowd isn’t going to increase that drastically.

Or are the owners going down the Field of Dreams route of ‘if you build it, they will come’

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

You have to admire the misguided ambition by the Blues owners. I totally get why the fans are excited by it, but I’d wager that excitement will be long gone in a few years. They’ll never ever fill that stadium regularly for football. I think their owners have got a bit excited about how you can do things in American sports, when this is literally a different ball game.

 

[inaglasshouse]

They are similar to Man City so why not. The Blues Zulus Peaky Blinders This Town is a strong brand and at the end of the day that's all that's required. Could easily get 35k average in the PL chasing down the Villa. Maybe they could sign Bellingham once they get up there, after all we are talking Hollywood endings with the yanks in charge.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

60k? Christ.

They aren’t ****ing about. If they have any realistic thoughts of filling that they have to be aiming for top 6 contention on the regular.

It’s so Wolves we had all the fanfare but end up with nothing happening and peeling paint and dust filled pies. Blues of all people are going to build the sodding Thunder Bowl.

Ffs.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

60k? Christ.

They aren’t ****ing about. If they have any realistic thoughts of filling that they have to be aiming for top 6 contention on the regular.

It’s so Wolves we had all the fanfare but end up with nothing happening and peeling paint and dust filled pies. Blues of all people are going to build the sodding Thunder Bowl.

Ffs.

It’ll look amazing in the championship with it being 1/3 full at best.

 

[Monketron]

I know people don't want to hear the words 'Greater Birmingham' (put down the pitch forks!). But location wise, given the Metro and train station right on our door, there really is little different to get to a hypothetically-rebuilt Molineux arena over getting to many of the grounds and arenas in the Greater London area from one of the major London train stations.

It's like 20mins from New Street by train, 40ish mins by the Metro?

By contrast it takes 25mins to get from London Euston to Tottenham's fancy stadium.

What I'm getting at is there is no reason why Molineux couldn't be major West Midlands destination that is essentially Greater Birmingham as far as most visiting people outside of the local area would be concerned just like any Greater London or Greater Manchester destination.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I know people don't want to hear the words 'Greater Birmingham' (put down the pitch forks!). But location wise, given the Metro and train station right on our door, there really is little different to get to a hypothetically-rebuilt Molineux arena over getting to many of the grounds and arenas in the Greater London from one of the major London train stations.

It's like 20mins from New Street by train, 40ish mins by the Metro?

By contrast it takes 25mins to get from London Euston to Tottenham's fancy stadium.

What I'm getting at is there is no reason why Molineux couldn't be major West Midlands destination that is essentially Greater Birmingham as far as most visiting people outside of the local area would be concerned just like any Greater London or Greater Manchester destination.

Agreed.

I’ll add that for those who suggest that because the West Midlands already has Villa Park that it cannot sustain a second 40-50k stadium, I’ll point out that Manchester (now) and Liverpool (soon) can, and their populations are much less than the West Midlands. Tyne & Weir does already too. The West Midlands is the second largest population centre in the country. The largest, London, already has four clubs with stadiums greater than 40k, and three more than 50k, and Wembley on top of that for cup and international games. So of course the West Midlands can support two large stadiums, as you say, the travel times between them are no more than across London.

 

[Darvo]

It’s hard not to admire their ambition and not to be envious. Wow … that’s a massive statement of intent.

 

[surreywolf]

As much as it’d be nice to think Blues’ new owners are giddy Americans miscalculating, they’re not. They know what they’re doing and catchment / potential market size etc

At least we have history to add

The pictures of Jeff and West Mids Mayor (twice in a week) give me hope something real is afoot re Molineux Quarter

*puts fingers in ears* Well done Jeff and Fosun if that happens

 

[SuperGran]

It’s hard not to admire their ambition and not to be envious. Wow … that’s a massive statement of intent.

Wayne Rooney was a statement of intent too

 

[Darvo]

Wayne Rooney was a statement of intent too

I find it hard to believe that they will neglect the footballing side of things if they are prepared to invest 2 or 3 billion in their infrastructure. Sometimes, it takes time to get that right.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

The comparisons to City are way off. They may well both have been in their neighbours shadows but that’s where it ends. City have always been well supported back to the Maine Road days, blues never have. A new stadium will undoubtedly boost them for a small period but it won’t be sustainable, you don’t just magic an additional 40 thousand fans per week. It won’t attract tourist fans like the Manchester clubs because it’s just not an attractive city compared to Manchester despite what Birmingham City Council try and spin. The multi use aspect of it I get but even then for gigs as an example that’s going to have a very small 8 week window in a summer, realistically how much will that generate?

This isn’t green eyed envy from me (I’ll say it quietly I actually don’t mind blues at all).

 

[Ned]

Blues new stadium will only become worthwhile if it becomes a serious money earner for them. In order to do that it will have to regularly mostly sell out for their home games, host and sell out numerous international games on the football side. It will also need NFL, MLB, boxing and concerts regularly every summer. It’s hard to see the American sports going to Birmingham when there are 3 genuinely perfect venues in London for this, boxing will only go where when a Birmingham fighter becomes stadium worthy so it’s concerts mainly, then.

 

[Bill McCai]

Be good if we could just paint our stadium!

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Blues new stadium will only become worthwhile if it becomes a serious money earner for them. In order to do that it will have to regularly mostly sell out for their home games, host and sell out numerous international games on the football side. It will also need NFL, MLB, boxing and concerts regularly every summer. It’s hard to see the American sports going to Birmingham when there are 3 genuinely perfect venues in London for this, boxing will only go where when a Birmingham fighter becomes stadium worthy so it’s concerts mainly, then.

That’s my feelings on it. The window in the summer for use is small, 8-10 weeks. I admire their ambition on it but feels it’s massively misguided. Obviously it’s the owners money to do what he pleases but 3 billion pounds will take a generation to earn back in my opinion. It’s entirely feasible that they’re still in the championship when it opens, the optics on that would look insane.

 

[Oliwolf44]

I don't think wolves fill 40k regularly so blues got no chance. Would need to be chasing Europe to have anywhere close to that. You don't just double the attendances when promoted. Would have to be multi purpose for concerts, boxing etc. even then probably won't make back the investment

 

[Bill McCai]

Think West Ham went from c33k to 57k average attendance?

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Don't really understand the organisation. Are they 'investing' Fosun style to try to make a long term profit? Nobody seriously thinks that they're going to make back £2-3b from a sports stadium do they? That's just ridiculous. Spurs cost about £1b I think and their fan base, options for tickets and other uses are massive compared to anything Blues have. There's no economic sense in it at all.