New stadium update...

[sonsofthedesert]

RS4, just based on the article you have posted in the other thread where it goes on to say that a 700m euro loan has been agreed for the 550m euro stadium but Gillett is not happy with the costs. I was wondering if there is a chance that Gillett has asked AFL to do these plans behind Hicks back and is planning on showing them to him and trying to get that built?

[REDSCOUSER]

If its a money matter then fine but as long as they dont compromise the look of the stadium. I think that the HKS design is stunning and unique like our club but the new AFL sounds like another Wembley which I will be against even at 200£ m cheaper.

[Dhav]

Good question. As I've said all along though, I think they're just keeping their options open. But AFL are pretty confident they're gonna get the contract. Although HKS have offices in London and Newcastle they are run from Dallas whereas AFL are based in Manchester with a smaller office on Old Hall Street in Liverpool.

I see - so it could just come down to proximity.

RS4, just based on the article you have posted in the other thread where it goes on to say that a 700m euro loan has been agreed for the 550m euro stadium but Gillett is not happy with the costs. I was wondering if there is a chance that Gillett has asked AFL to do these plans behind Hicks back and is planning on showing them to him and trying to get that built?

If that's the case and they're going behind each other's backs, then the club is in a lot of trouble

[sonsofthedesert]

I see - so it could just come down to proximity.



If that's the case and they're going behind each other's backs, then the club is in a lot of trouble

Yeah I agree. I'm just suprised the press haven't picked up on this as they could have a field day with it.

[Alpha]

If its a money matter then fine but as long as they dont compromise the look of the stadium. I think that the HKS design is stunning and unique like our club but the new AFL sounds like another Wembley which I will be against even at 200£ m cheaper.

If I am brutally honest, I actually think the HKS design is ostentatious and I'm worried that it will age quickly.

I am all for a stunning and unique stadium but I believe the design should be understated to be truly in keeping with our character and tradition.

[rushscored4]

RS4, just based on the article you have posted in the other thread where it goes on to say that a 700m euro loan has been agreed for the 550m euro stadium but Gillett is not happy with the costs. I was wondering if there is a chance that Gillett has asked AFL to do these plans behind Hicks back and is planning on showing them to him and trying to get that built?

€550m is around £400m I think so that's exactly in between the £300m quoted by my mate for the AFL revised plans and the £500m for the fitted-out HKS design. Interesting...

If its a money matter then fine but as long as they dont compromise the look of the stadium. I think that the HKS design is stunning and unique like our club but the new AFL sounds like another Wembley which I will be against even at 200£ m cheaper.

I thought the new Wembley looked **** (especially for the money) but everybody who has visited it has said how amazing it is. Apart from the pitch of course...

I see - so it could just come down to proximity.

Not entirely. Of course Hicks is based in Dallas where HKS are too but the Creative Director at AFL is pretty friendly with Rick Parry I understand.

[dom9]

I thought the new Wembley looked **** (especially for the money) but everybody who has visited it has said how amazing it is. Apart from the pitch of course...

:

I have been there asnd I was completely underwhelmed.

From the outside, it looks like a standard office block. From the inside, it is nothing special at all. The only stand out thing about it is the size. It is huge. Bigger than the Nou Camp (not in terms of capacity, but volume - the seats are all quite wide).

[Kaip]

Wide seats.................pacman will love that

[Shaggy]

Imagine the embarrasment if we started building that super stadium and the learned that we couldn't afford it midway through? That'd be worse.

If the owners are looking at other options then that's fine by me. They have to do the best things for the club and if that means going back to the drawing board then that's what they have to do.

An extra £200m is a lot of money after all.

I thought that but apart from our own fans nobody else gave a damn about the HKS design. It didn't get as much publicity as it deserved and if you asked a fan of any other team they wouldn't have a clue what the stadium plans looked like.

As I've said many times, I prefer the HKS design but if the revised AFL plans are as good as my mate said, the stadium holds 70,000 and can be built for £200m less then bring on the "huge humiliation"...

Aye........quite.

[tomasjj]

Well, if some of that 200 mill saved can be given Rafa to improve the team, I would be more positive.

[RoadEnd]

What's wrong with breeze block and corrugated iron?

[sonsofthedesert]

The real shame here is that we were supposed to be going for approx 76,000 in the long term, if this is correct we are going for 70,000 with no chance of expansion.
Very suprised the papers haven't got hold of this as well, do you know when it will be announced/leaked RS4?

[Shaggy]

Call me a bluff old traditionalist, but shouldn't all this be worked out before any plans are released? Surely you weigh up all the options, cost it all out, then make a decision and make it public. Not release the plans, get everyone excited and then say ‘oops, we can’t afford that one’.

Just seems so incredibly amateurish.

[dom9]

Call me a bluff old traditionalist, but shouldn't all this be worked out before any plans are released? Surely you weigh up all the options, cost it all out, then make a decision and make it public. Not release the plans, get everyone excited and then say ‘oops, we can’t afford that one’.

Just seems so incredibly amateurish.

My thoughts exactly.

[sonsofthedesert]

Call me a bluff old traditionalist, but shouldn't all this be worked out before any plans are released? Surely you weigh up all the options, cost it all out, then make a decision and make it public. Not release the plans, get everyone excited and then say ‘oops, we can’t afford that one’.

Just seems so incredibly amateurish.

Although I trust RS4 100% and know his source has been spot on before I can't help but think we will still build the HKS designas if something else was to be built the papers and other forums would have info by now.