AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Sun Mar 26, 2017 1:51 am  

Solely trying to prevent a thread\exclusive from our resident Italian plumber:

The latest SS season ticket blurb states they are in negotiations to buy the AJ Bell stadium and are are also looking at a few (unnamed)sites in South Manchester to build a new stadium.

I think this is just spin to sell tickets, just like the Dr and his statements about buying the stadium (water parks, hotels etc)

Peel/Salford council believe they can eventually recoup their money by selling the plots around the stadium (which are worth less until they finish the bridge) , but they will not sell (certainly Salford Council) until they are able to say they got all their money back.

Anyone interested can find details of their blurb on their fans forum.

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:55 am  

"We are in negotiations to buy the AJ Bell as we need to own and control where we play in order to be able to provide a match day experience that makes more fans want to attend regularly. We are working on several ways to improve the infrastructure surrounding the stadium although unfortunately we can't speed up the Metrolink work which is due to be completed in 2021/22.
"As an alternative to the A] Bell stadium we‘re looking at potential sites in South Manchester where we can build our own stadiumand while we have made some progress in this regard, it is too soon to go into any detail."

As they state they are in negotiations (which could be sales talk) , you ask with whom? Peel, Salford Council, or both? I cannot see Salford council signing a deal that puts Salford RLFC (in whatever incarnation) become homeless. Nor can I see the good Doctor not asking why he is not being involved in the negotiation as a part-tenant. Let's hope that they are rigorous and proactive.

However if Sale did take over, we'd need to remember how unprincipled Sale was over Solomona and their reputation in Stockport. I would fear for our future.

Thanks for the update. I think the southern Manchester comments are part of the negotiating stance.

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Wed Mar 29, 2017 9:28 am  

The best thing the club can do is what it's doing. Growing in stature on and off the pitch. If we keep gaining momentum on the pitch and Blease keeps pushing off the field the way he's doing it keeps us in a strong position if these negotiations turn into something more solid. I wouldn't trust Sale as far as I could throw them. Look at the goings-on at Edgeley Park and how that impacted Stockport County for an indicator of how Sale goes about its business. Salford councils stake in all this will be crucial and wont want to see our Club homeless. Not out of the goodness of its heart, but because of money.

I think, as it stands currently, MK will also be a buffer for the Club. While he's here he wont be selling us down the river.

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Thu Mar 30, 2017 3:11 am  

TheButcher wrote:

The best thing the club can do is what it's doing. Growing in stature on and off the pitch. If we keep gaining momentum on the pitch and Blease keeps pushing off the field the way he's doing it keeps us in a strong position if these negotiations turn into something more solid. I wouldn't trust Sale as far as I could throw them. Look at the goings-on at Edgeley Park and how that impacted Stockport County for an indicator of how Sale goes about its business. Salford councils stake in all this will be crucial and wont want to see our Club homeless. Not out of the goodness of its heart, but because of money.

I think, as it stands currently, MK will also be a buffer for the Club. While he's here he wont be selling us down the river.

Personally i think Salford Council would sell the stadium to anyone if they could get the money they have spent back. As they cut services it has become a political hot potato,

Their exposure to the stadium is now about £15m and equal for Peel. When Marwan talked about buying the stadium he was suggesting £9m.

The council and Peel are relying heavily on selling the plots and indeed according to council reports they have been on the verge of closing numerous deals for each of the last 3 years.

The current owners of SS (who are different from the one who owned them and Edgely Park) are like MK involved in property development so as things stand I doubt they would pay the £30m Salford and Peel need. (My one caveat is that the CEO of allied London (who own spinningfields) is on the Board of SS)

However I cannot see a situation, if either buys the stadium, the other would be homeless. Why would either want to lose rent and revenue?

If the owners of SS did buy it, potentially it could be good for match day experience for us (not revenue), as they actually spend money improving things eg the Marquee was their addition, we now use, they have employed traffic consultants to manage carparks ( we could use),

Nothing is better than owning our own place, but maybe sports owners who spend their money making it better for their fans , can also make it better for us too.

As I said at the start, i predict they like Marwan, will decide the asking price is not currently worth paying.

As an aside, i also note from their forum they have upped the corporate/posh season ticket by £150 to about £900!

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Mon Apr 03, 2017 8:28 am  

Was there any Sport England and/or covenants that might make a potential sale almost impossible (like there at our stadium in Hull [KCOM])

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:07 am  

Kiyan wrote:

As I said at the start, i predict they like Marwan, will decide the asking price is not currently worth paying.

What makes you think Marwan as the type of money required to by the stadium?

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:11 am  

redgunner wrote:

What makes you think Marwan as the type of money required to by the stadium?

He's got horses and property worth more, hasn't he?

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:26 am  

PCollinson1990 wrote:

He's got horses and property worth more, hasn't he?

He had a good spell of winners & maybe worth a bob or two but having the ability to buy the stadium

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:00 am  

redgunner wrote:

He had a good spell of winners & maybe worth a bob or two but having the ability to buy the stadium

I thought he was really loaded, certainly the impression he gives.

Re: AJ Bell stadium and Sale Sharks : Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:17 am  

There is a difference in multi-millionaires with millions readily available in the bank or in liquid assets that can be quickly converted in to capital and multi-millionaires with most their money tied up in property and other non-liquid assets that take time to sell. As a property magnate and race horse owner I suspect that Marwan is one of the latter and would need to sell some other properties before he could buy the stadium