Villa Park redevelopment

[Tayls]

It’s essentially putting a stop to another thing that Purslow was very much behind isn’t it. All so weird. Makes me feel very uneasy about how the future looks - and this is in-spite of the on pitch performances. 

Odd odd odd. 

[Chindie]

Just now, Tayls said:

But why do we need faster returns? 

FFP in the main. We don't make enough money. Heck's primary directive will be to drive revenue ASAP, we will be making deals with various commercial partners to pump in money, we will heavily push hospitality options and corporate offerings, we will probably sacrifice more 'standard' capacity to fuel 'experience' tickets that provide greater returns per ticket.

A new North Strand would also help with this, but coming at a greater cost, both in actual costs and reduced capacity for a couple of seasons, and with longer return period (but also would set us up with a better future for longer). But that doesn't tie in with the short term aim. Heck won't be at the club long term so he will support the short term over making his job harder for a benefit he'll never see.

So it's been binned.

[DJBOB]

16 minutes ago, Tayls said:

Id he going to be our Jerry Krause? 

First the first 3 titles, yes.

Need a lighter touch for the second 3-peat.

Edited December 19, 2023 by DJBOB

[OutByEaster?]

1 minute ago, Chindie said:

FFP in the main. We don't make enough money. Heck's primary directive will be to drive revenue ASAP, we will be making deals with various commercial partners to pump in money, we will heavily push hospitality options and corporate offerings, we will probably sacrifice more 'standard' capacity to fuel 'experience' tickets that provide greater returns per ticket.

A new North Strand would also help with this, but coming at a greater cost, both in actual costs and reduced capacity for a couple of seasons, and with longer return period (but also would set us up with a better future for longer). But that doesn't tie in with the short term aim. Heck won't be at the club long term so he will support the short term over making his job harder for a benefit he'll never see.

So it's been binned.

Our success might also count against it in a way - in terms of how we close the income gap to Chelsea, we might have been thinking our best option was to expand the stadium and try to make more in our matchday revenues - the shortcut of lets qualify for the Champions league while they don't might have adjusted our sights.

 

[RicRic]

I dont even think the extra 10,000 seats was enough and probably slightly more , ideally I’d say 54,000 just so we can sit at the big boys table when it comes to stadiums, i know we still can as we are iconic and our stadium is magnificent and im not just saying that because it’s my club it really is unique and grand  

[sidcow]

30 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think as well as a ROI, there's a brand strength reason to get rid of the North Stand - the biggest teams in the biggest league in the world don't play in stadiums that have stands like the North Stand - if we're to be that, we'll need to look the part to attract investment.

 

I've only just watched his video but that's EXACTLY what went through my mind when he talked about becoming one of the world's big clubs. 

Which still leads me to think they may well quietly be considering a new stadium but I'm hoping he's using it to force the Witton Lane Station development through. 

[Chindie]

5 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Our success might also count against it in a way - in terms of how we close the income gap to Chelsea, we might have been thinking our best option was to expand the stadium and try to make more in our matchday revenues - the shortcut of lets qualify for the Champions league while they don't might have adjusted our sights.

 

Which is great... But what if we (touch wood we don't etc) have a Gregory style collapse? We look silly.

At the end of the day the stadium needs expansion. It has for a long time. There will never be a good time to do the work, and the work will never be cheap. We've sacrificed the plan to meet short term goals that don't help us reset our foundations.

[RicRic]

As well as the mega plans to rebuild the north stand, we may aswell refurbish the interior of the rest of the stands, toilets, waiting areas, refreshment parts and so on, that needs to be modernised and freshened up i think we all can agree.

[Tayls]

12 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Our success might also count against it in a way - in terms of how we close the income gap to Chelsea, we might have been thinking our best option was to expand the stadium and try to make more in our matchday revenues - the shortcut of lets qualify for the Champions league while they don't might have adjusted our sights.

 

Risky though isn’t it? We could just as easily not qualify for champs league and then what would we have? Do you not think something is up? If a mod can tell me that they aren’t concerned then I’ll be happy… 

[villa82]

If we have ambitions to become one of the world's biggest clubs, as stated in the interview, we must have a much bigger stadium. If we wish to keep Villa Park and make it 60 thousand plus, which is the grand plan, then we should apply to build out Doug Ellis' stand too. Otherwise, we face a huge problem the day we need it. Not that today I sit with the feeling that it is imminent

[WallisFrizz]

Just now, Tayls said:

Risky though isn’t it? We could just as easily not qualify for champs league and then what would we have? Do you not think something is up? If a mod can tell me that they aren’t concerned then I’ll be happy… 

What do you think is up?  Surely the simplest explanation is the easiest one. Purslow really wanted this and pushed for it. Heck comes in and looks at the practicalities and the problems that have not been overcome (transport) and decided against it. 

[Villa_Vids]

Is it paused or cancelled?

[ender4]

1 minute ago, Villa_Vids said:

Is it paused or cancelled?

Cancelled.  But can obviously be resurrected at any point before the Euros 2028 if they wanted to.

[HanoiVillan]

1 minute ago, ender4 said:

Cancelled.  But can obviously be resurrected at any point before the Euros 2028 if they wanted to.

Not sure it can tbh, the planning permission has an expiry I believe?

[ender4]

3 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

What do you think is up?  Surely the simplest explanation is the easiest one. Purslow really wanted this and pushed for it. Heck comes in and looks at the practicalities and the problems that have not been overcome (transport) and decided against it. 

The simplest explanation is that it costs too much but Heck didn’t say that. Just spun some nonsense that didn’t make sense and that he thought he could get away with.  

[ender4]

Just now, HanoiVillan said:

Not sure it can tbh, the planning permission has an expiry I believe?

Yes I think it’s 5 years which is 2028.  Plus we can’t build during Euros if we want to host.  So in reality would have to start work by 2026 which seems to have been completely ruled out.

[AvonVillain]

Pages and pages later, I'm minded to say, let's just wait and see whilst watching on-field glory for the first time in a generation. First genuine sign of any tiny possibility of upping sticks then HECK OUT, NWSE on **** notice, and see the overwhelming majority down at the ground to protest.

[Captain_Townsend]

We are getting left behind. Our stadium used to be one of the finest. Several clubs have moved to 50k + stadiums. We talk the talk but never walk the walk.

[delboy54]

If Villa are going to relocate VP then hopefully they will take on board my suggestion and move it to Cambridge.

This means I have a 20 min journey to see the Villa play instead of 2 hours....

 

Not being selfish or anything....!

[Tayls]

11 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

What do you think is up?  Surely the simplest explanation is the easiest one. Purslow really wanted this and pushed for it. Heck comes in and looks at the practicalities and the problems that have not been overcome (transport) and decided against it. 

There were plans in place for all of that though. And didn’t Heck come in and change the original plans completely anyway so that it wasn’t so extravagant? Now we are getting nothing. 
Ultimately, we can’t sit and moan about the fact we aren’t spending millions and millions on a new stand, we’ve probably already been spoiled enough as it is.