: Tue May 26, 2009 9:15 pm  

No the JJB doesn't have the atmosphere that Central Park had but then that was a very special stadium.

I love Odsal but the openness of it is often its undoing when it comes to atmosphere. Only when it's full to the brim, the weather is kind and the rugby is good too does it really rock - then there's nowhere on earth like it.

If we had limitless wealth I'd say keep the bowl, build up the sides and make it a mixed use stadium - perhaps having some areas with removable seating so that the rugby fans could stand. That would cost a fortune though and until I win big on the Euromillions it's just pie in the sky.

I'd rather have the possibility of an all seater than a no-chance dream of an Odsal bowl with roofed seating and modern facilities.

: Wed May 27, 2009 8:18 am  

Thank you for the replies to my question.

I take it from them that no one, not even the Bulls will say how much money they are going to put into this scheme.

: Wed May 27, 2009 8:50 am  

guess who wrote:

Thank you for the replies to my question.

I take it from them that no one, not even the Bulls will say how much money they are going to put into this scheme.

I think that your assumption is accurate, if somewhat loaded in its wording!

It would not surprise me if the interested parties are not in a position to say (rather than "will not say") how much money they will put in, due to continuing negotiations and the uncertainty about which scheme will be preferred and how much money can be obtained from commercial sources.

As I pointed out, if all the theoretical sources of funding were realised, the lower-level project would be over-funded (though there would still be a gap for the higher-level project). If all were available and the lower project were selected, someone would benefit from the slack.

While I agree (though being in favour of the Sporting Village) that it would be in the interests of the Council Tax payers of Bradford (and Keighley!) if the slack came from the airport £15m, it does appear that that money is committed, which would suggest considerable scope for negotiation between the primary partners (the Bulls, Bradford College, Bradford University, NHS Bradford and Airedale).

: Wed May 27, 2009 9:46 am  

AndreaB wrote:

The KC has far more atmosphere than the Boulevard ever did IMO

I thought the Boulevard had a very "special" atmosphere.

I always enjoyed changing ends at half time, the banter was, er, lovely.

: Wed May 27, 2009 2:45 pm  

Im absolutely amazed at the figures now being touted.

Agreed, this scheme is more than just a stadium, but bearing in mind you can build a modern stadium for $1200 per seat (24m for 20,000 capacity), it suggests that either the other facilities are very exensive or there are high costs associated with preparing the Odsal site for Construction.

Interestingly enough, the new Leeds International Pool cost $16m.

I thought the idea of the Sporting Village was to make the most of what was there, build in stages with the opportunity for further development rather than come up with some vastly expensive development that requires almost $80m.

It just sounds to have snowballed to something totally unfeasible and leads me to thinking developing the Odsal Site is simply not economically stacking up.

Ps that pounds not dollars! Sorry no pound sign.

: Wed May 27, 2009 4:25 pm  

thats been the problem all along - its always been reported as just a new stadium for the bulls when reality its a much bigger scheme of which the stadium is only a portion. If it was just the stadium then it could undoubtedly be done for less but its providing a variety of facilities as well as the stadium which is why it costs so much.

Seem to remember that it also covers remedial work to make the land safe due to the tip. Which is a cost the council would have to bear even if the scheme didnt come and the land was sold off.

: Wed May 27, 2009 9:57 pm  

There's a couple of threads running on TotalRL about this, and I notice AJ among others continuing to push the "Bulls are a private company" line. And it's true, and it's true of the Cougars also. Yet how many private companies get articles like this one written about them? It just seems a bit philistine to write off a sports club as if it was just another branch of McDonalds. In one sense the Mona Lisa is just a dirtied bit of canvas, but we all understand it to be much more than that, don't we? And the same goes for the Bulls, and the Cougars, and City for that matter. Also the idea that Bradford we put at an advantage by Bradford Council's 'support' during the 90s, when we would have made an absolute killing from corporate during the early years of Super League had the facilities been there, is quite ludicrous.

There's a couple of threads running on TotalRL about this, and I notice AJ among others continuing to push the "Bulls are a private company" line. And it's true, and it's true of the Cougars also. Yet how many private companies get articles like this one written about them? It just seems a bit philistine to write off a sports club as if it was just another branch of McDonalds. In one sense the Mona Lisa is just a dirtied bit of canvas, but we all understand it to be much more than that, don't we? And the same goes for the Bulls, and the Cougars, and City for that matter. Also the idea that Bradford we put at an advantage by Bradford Council's 'support' during the 90s, when we would have made an absolute killing from corporate during the early years of Super League had the facilities been there, is quite ludicrous.

: Thu May 28, 2009 2:05 am  

mat wrote:

thats been the problem all along - its always been reported as just a new stadium for the bulls when reality its a much bigger scheme of which the stadium is only a portion. If it was just the stadium then it could undoubtedly be done for less but its providing a variety of facilities as well as the stadium which is why it costs so much.

Seem to remember that it also covers remedial work to make the land safe due to the tip. Which is a cost the council would have to bear even if the scheme didnt come and the land was sold off.

But thats just the point, apart from the stadium, pool and sports centre, what else does it offer? All commercial areas will be let to developers, not developed out by the council/bulls.

Ok, a few football pitches, a cricket pitch etc..the cost is still totally out of sink.

Remediation of the existing ground was done previously IIRC.

: Thu May 28, 2009 7:14 am  

It's the university and college sports facilities which make it different from previously proposed schemes.
Also it replaces the Richard Dunn which loses money.
There is also mention of "sports retail" which I find interesting. Could this be a hint of where some of the gap money is coming from?

: Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:50 am  

edited Highlights from todays League Express

scheme 1 - 18000 capacity , Bowl filled in, rectantular stadium, hotel, resturant, sports retail

scheme 2 - entire stadium would have roof , pop terrance extended toward coral stand and seated, playing surface raise 2meters, track removed,

both schemes - funding sources are completely identified , direct access from the m606 - leaving odsal for 2 years, probably but not defo for VP ( " we would prefer to remain in bradford") work would start first half of 2010

no update on sharing with city ,

yes or no on one or both will be made tomorrow (2nd june)