As a grizzled Trin fan of many decades, it's hard not to be cynical. Nothing formally agreed yet, but I'm more confident about this incarnation.
The big thing with projects like this is, obviously. paying for it.
However, from what MC said, I think the council has agreed to take the lease on and borrow the money up front to get the build done. This is a big difference.
What makes these things succeed is that there is something in it for all parties involved.
Club/Trust get a fit for purpose stadium
Yorkcourt get more time to generate funds from NM to pay back the loan
Manni gets money from the lease/rent + guaranteed footfall and possibly a fast lane to planning for his residential/retail development.
WMDC get? Income from Trin staying in the district? escape potential court action? get rid of the perennial naggers from the Trust? Maybe it's the new CEO's new remit to increase visitors to the city?
MC & CB now have six weeks to do the sums and thrash out a deal with all the parties by 31st Oct.
The only thing that I can see preventing/delaying the project is planning objections from the locals. That's a tight fit on the plot and some high buildings potentially blocking light/views?
If it's anything like that design, it will be a cracking atmosphere with just few thousand home fans and we should get near to capacity fairly regularly. I guess 10k is all that's possible on such a small site, and most of that is standing. If the seating is increased in the future, the overall capacity would be reduced further.
Would the west stand be the only seating? Where is the corporate accommodation?
MC did mention training facilities, so hopefully, that is the things at NM as originally planned.