Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:24 pm  

Chris28 wrote:

Because it's been rammed full so often hasn't it?

How many times has it been at capacity? I can think of 2 maybe 3 for rugby. What about City?

A stadium 10 years old, used, lets say 40 times a year across both sports = 400 chances to fill it and how many times has it been full? And you think it should be bigger?

You're not proposing squash in the Kingston Suite too are you? While you drive round Hull throwing money at passers-by? Harry Allam by any chance?

I'm not sure it's ever sold out for the rugby. It's sold out for home supporters many times for the football, especially when we were in the Prem, but the proposals are for a different scenario.

More seats would be at a cheaper price.

As for throwing money about, turning down well over £100 million for an area that's going to need millions spent on it is a far more frivolous and short sighted approach. That's before the negative effect on other investors the recent shoddy dealing would have.

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:58 pm  

My Uncle Harry wrote:

I'm not sure it's ever sold out for the rugby. It's sold out for home supporters many times for the football, especially when we were in the Prem, but the proposals are for a different scenario.

More seats would be at a cheaper price.

As for throwing money about, turning down well over £100 million for an area that's going to need millions spent on it is a far more frivolous and short sighted approach. That's before the negative effect on other investors the recent shoddy dealing would have.

The KC has been officially sold out for 2 times for RL (were no tickets were available on the day of the game.

I friend of mine who is a City season ticket holder has stated on several occasions that during their premiership tenure City sold out their home tickets on 14 occasions, 10 of which were in their first season in the top flight (due to more season ticket holder in that first season). As the club struggled the interest subsided. Of the other 24 prem games, tickets could be bought up to kick off.

The Stadium doesn't need expanding it this point in time. If Allam were to invest into the team (which of course he could in january) and they became a front runner for promotion, there maybe a weak arguement for extending in readiness for the Premier league. Given there was not a massive demand during the 2 seasons they were up there, it seems an odd thing to extend until the demand is there.

Please don't think that more seats would result in cheaper one.

The city needs financial input, but is a couple of squash course and a swimming pool really going to make any difference?

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:16 pm  

Mild mannered Janitor wrote:

The KC has been officially sold out for 2 times for RL (were no tickets were available on the day of the game.

I friend of mine who is a City season ticket holder has stated on several occasions that during their premiership tenure City sold out their home tickets on 14 occasions, 10 of which were in their first season in the top flight (due to more season ticket holder in that first season). As the club struggled the interest subsided. Of the other 24 prem games, tickets could be bought up to kick off.

The Stadium doesn't need expanding it this point in time. If Allam were to invest into the team (which of course he could in january) and they became a front runner for promotion, there maybe a weak arguement for extending in readiness for the Premier league. Given there was not a massive demand during the 2 seasons they were up there, it seems an odd thing to extend until the demand is there.

Please don't think that more seats would result in cheaper one.

The city needs financial input, but is a couple of squash course and a swimming pool really going to make any difference?

I'm not sure if your friends figures are right, but in any event had the stadium been as big as the initial proposal, some of those turned away may have enjoyed the experience and come back, as it was I know many that got bored of trying to get tickets, however, as I said that's not the same situation as part of the published proposal was for cheaper tickets.

I doubt a pool or squash court would be the answer, that's why they're not offered as the sole solution by anyone but those with selective reading habits. The recent example of how business negotiations and development proposals are handled is hardly going to lead to a flood of investors. Perhaps it explains why we have so few investors yet have so many very wealthy people in the region.

Short sighted and small mined folk have held us back for years.

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:51 pm  

My Uncle Harry wrote:

Short sighted and small mined folk have held us back for years.

I don't disagree with that. I just don't think that the Venn Diagram of Hull folk has Mr Allam outside its scope (as far sighted and large minded).

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:51 pm  

My Uncle Harry wrote:

I'm not sure if your friends figures are right, but in any event had the stadium been as big as the initial proposal, some of those turned away may have enjoyed the experience and come back, as it was I know many that got bored of trying to get tickets, however, as I said that's not the same situation as part of the published proposal was for cheaper tickets.

I doubt a pool or squash court would be the answer, that's why they're not offered as the sole solution by anyone but those with selective reading habits. The recent example of how business negotiations and development proposals are handled is hardly going to lead to a flood of investors. Perhaps it explains why we have so few investors yet have so many very wealthy people in the region.

Short sighted and small mined folk have held us back for years.

How come Allam need the freehold of the KC before he can consider investing anything, yet Manchester City are happy to invest money in the Etihad Stadium, purely as tenants of Manchester City Council?

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:19 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

How come Allam need the freehold of the KC before he can consider investing anything, yet Manchester City are happy to invest money in the Etihad Stadium, purely as tenants of Manchester City Council?

Several billion reasons spring to mind.

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:22 pm  

Chris28 wrote:

I don't disagree with that. I just don't think that the Venn Diagram of Hull folk has Mr Allam outside its scope (as far sighted and large minded).

I think I'm possibly reading that wrong, should it be 'inside its scope'?

In any event, it's only some Hull folk that are falling for the soundbites from a Councillor, some of which were later shown to be wrong or misleading. Others seem to want more professional dialogue and clearer information before making a decision, possibly via the referendum the Party leader talked of.

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:00 pm  

My Uncle Harry wrote:

I think I'm possibly reading that wrong, should it be 'inside its scope'?

No, I'm saying I don't see him as far sighted and large/open minded.

In any event, it's only some Hull folk that are falling for the soundbites from a Councillor, some of which were later shown to be wrong or misleading. Others seem to want more professional dialogue and clearer information before making a decision, possibly via the referendum the Party leader talked of.

Conversely, only some Hull folk seem want to give a public asset away to someone who apparently wants to mortgage it off to enable him to build a development to reduce ASBOs or something. Others seem to be looking at the published proposals and taking them with a pinch of salt.

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:02 pm  

My Uncle Harry wrote:

Several billion reasons spring to mind.

They were quite happy there before the Arabs came knocking.

You'd think with all their billions of petrodollars, they too would want the freehold but they seem happy enough with a secured tenancy. Manchester CC also seem happy with the fact that there's no debt secured against the Etihad, in the same way that there's no debt against the KC (yet)

Re: O/T - Allam the terrible ! : Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:23 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

They were quite happy there before the Arabs came knocking.

You'd think with all their billions of petrodollars, they too would want the freehold but they seem happy enough with a secured tenancy. Manchester CC also seem happy with the fact that there's no debt secured against the Etihad, in the same way that there's no debt against the KC (yet)

City paid for the alterations to the CMS using receipts from the sale of Maine Road, long before, as you say, the Arabs were even on the scene. They are now paying MCC £3m a year guaranteed for the stadium, maybe if Allam is serious he'll ask the council for a 250 year lease on a deal that promises the council £1m a year, once he has a 250 year lease he should be comfortable to invest, afterall, he is "worth" in excess of £200m.