Potential New Ground

[werthersoriginal]

Before long I'll be moving over to Sweden (the missus' homeland) and their rural/housing ratio is delightful. Country almost double the size of the UK (173,860 sq miles to our 93,628 sq miles) with the population not that much bigger than that of London.

Space to stretch my legs a bit.

Bit of a commute to watch us play, but at least their colours are yellow and blue.

Oh I read that as ‘Swindon’ for some reason! Maybe you’ll see some of our Clotet era players in action.

 

[Emilio]

Oh I read that as ‘Swindon’ for some reason! Maybe you’ll see some of our Clotet era players in action.

NEVER

 

[Emilio]

Plenty of land for the new owners to build their stadium over there. Maybe we could ground share with the likes of AIK while it's being built? We've already shared an away kit...

 

[Wallop]

Before long I'll be moving over to Sweden (the missus' homeland) and their rural/housing ratio is delightful. Country almost double the size of the UK (173,860 sq miles to our 93,628 sq miles) with the population not that much bigger than that of London.

Space to stretch my legs a bit.

Bit of a commute to watch us play, but at least their colours are yellow and blue.

Bloody cold though and beer very expensive.......

 

[Emilio]

Bloody cold though and beer very expensive.......

Just like the Kassam.

 

[Wallop]

Just like the Kassam.

Yes although the beer isn't cold

Does Sweden also smell of sewage if the wind is the wrong way?

 

[holdsteady]

Yes although the beer isn't cold

Does Sweden also smell of sewage if the wind is the wrong way?

It is if you leave it outside.

 

[holdsteady]

England is not that crowded, Oxfordshire even less so. A bit more housing will hardly effect anyone’s life negatively but it might improve the life’s of others. Plenty of room for everyone to live somewhere and there still be loads of green spaces to visit/look at.

 

[Emilio]

England is not that crowded, Oxfordshire even less so. A bit more housing will hardly effect anyone’s life negatively but it might improve the life’s of others. Plenty of room for everyone to live somewhere and there still be loads of green spaces to visit/look at.

But that's not what we care about here. f**k the houses and f**k the green spaces. All we want is A BRAND SPANKING NEW STADIUM TO CALL HOME!!!


(Hopefully that will appease any mods before they put us on the naughty step!)

 

[RyanioBirdio]

But that's not what we care about here. f**k the houses and f**k the green spaces. All we want is A BRAND SPANKING NEW STADIUM TO CALL HOME!!!


(Hopefully that will appease any mods before they put us on the naughty step!)

Do you know where they’ve built new football stadiums in the past?

Sweden.

Cracking country from my experience. Been numerous times, to both Gothenburg and Stockholm, and have fallen in love every time I’ve been. I once fell head over heels before I had even got out of baggage claim. Was practically following the lucky lady around with a guitar, while being pushed on a trolley with a rose hanging out of my mouth, in an attempt to woo her. Another time I was in a photography studio in Stockholm and one of the studio assistants was so attractive that they had to wrestle me to the ground, so that I didn’t rip my jeans off like Bucks Fizz to reveal a Union Jack man pouch. One person had to restrain my legs while another wrestled with my arms and torso, struggling to periodically cover my mouth as I screamed the words to Freaky With You by Nelly.

I hope that any new stadium in Oxford would include a designated tourist section.

 

[Marked Ox]

Do you know where they’ve built new football stadiums in the past?

Sweden.

Cracking country from my experience. Been numerous times, to both Gothenburg and Stockholm, and have fallen in love every time I’ve been. I once fell head over heels before I had even got out of baggage claim. Was practically following the lucky lady around with a guitar, while being pushed on a trolley with a rose hanging out of my mouth, in an attempt to woo her. Another time I was in a photography studio in Stockholm and one of the studio assistants was so attractive that they had to wrestle me to the ground, so that I didn’t rip my jeans off like Bucks Fizz to reveal a Union Jack man pouch. One person had to restrain my legs while another wrestled with my arms and torso, struggling to periodically cover my mouth as I screamed the words to Freaky With You by Nelly.

I hope that any new stadium in Oxford would include a designated tourist section.

***Matty Taylor looks angrily at you***

 

[Brahma]

Well, the same firm of architects would be no surprise to some.

The New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | Designed by Populous

Learn about the design of the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – the home of Tottenham Hotspur FC and Europe's first purpose-built venue for American football.

populous.com

OxVox worked with them when they were looking at options to expand the Kassam 4/5 years ago when they looked at the North Stand with Colin.

5 May 2016 Committee Meeting | OxVox

www.oxvox.org.uk

 

[Colin B]

OxVox worked with them when they were looking at options to expand the Kassam 4/5 years ago when they looked at the North Stand with Colin.

5 May 2016 Committee Meeting | OxVox

www.oxvox.org.uk

I think you meant the East Stand, Simon, where there is the vast unused space beneath it, but they actually looked at the feasibility of what could be done with the whole stadium. That, of course, was reliant on the stadium ownership changing!

Before we go too far down this path though, my view now, having looked at our stadium options since 2016, is firmly that a new stadium is the only way to go. This is based on the knowledge gained over that time, which proves that although an updated Kassam Stadium may well be achievable architecturally, it would be cost prohibitive and just does not stack up financially.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Before we go too far down this path though, my view now, having looked at our stadium options since 2016, is firmly that a new stadium is the only way to go. This is based on the knowledge gained over that time, which proves that although an updated Kassam Stadium may well be achievable architecturally, it would be cost prohibitive and just does not stack up financially.

Out of interest, do you remember roughly how much the project would have cost based on projections at the time? Say, cost of purchase of existing stadium, cost of essential maintenance and upgrades to current structure, as well as cost of subsequent expansion and refurbishment?

What I was always told (and you know the same people I do, so I can’t imagine it’s any different) was that unless a fan won the Euromillions and fancied handing over tens and tens of millions and never asking for a penny in return, it would never be feasible because the stadium is so boxed in by Kassam’s other properties, meaning the stadium itself would be the sole cash generator and that would never pay the interest on the loan that would be required. Also, given the club has no assets bar the players as it has no land or property of its own, even securing a loan of the appropriate amount (unless substantially propped up by a wealthy benefactor) would be bloody tricky as there’s nothing for the lender to recoup against in the event of a default. I’m pretty sure SD spent years and years trying to figure out a way to make it work if he put a lorry load of cash in himself and never managed it?

Broadly speaking, of course.

 

[Brahma]

I think you meant the East Stand, Simon, where there is the vast unused space beneath it, but they actually looked at the feasibility of what could be done with the whole stadium. That, of course, was reliant on the stadium ownership changing!

Before we go too far down this path though, my view now, having looked at our stadium options since 2016, is firmly that a new stadium is the only way to go. This is based on the knowledge gained over that time, which proves that although an updated Kassam Stadium may well be achievable architecturally, it would be cost prohibitive and just does not stack up financially.

I recall that they looked at how they could make the North Stand a two-tier stand and that digging down and below the level of the pitch would enable that to happen. North Stand was definitely one of the areas they looked at. It was a good company you brought to the table Col. Glad they're still about.

 

[Essexyellows]

So staying is an option then?

Tens of millions being loose change to these boys.

 

[unification]

So staying is an option then?

Tens of millions being loose change to these boys.

Tens of millions they may have and tens of millions they may be willing to spend, but they're business men. They'll be wanting to see those tens of millions back and more. They wouldn't get that with the purchase and refurbishment of the KasStad for the reasons @RyanioBirdio says above.

I don't pretend ITK at all but even I cannot see a way forward for the club with our current owners that doesn't involve a new stadium somewhere.

I did hear that Stratfield Brake had been earmarked for a potential site to move North Oxford Golf Club to. I thought that SB was one of the sites, if not the site, that had been looked at for a potential stadium. I may be completely wrong here and will leave it to others to shoot this down if this is untrue.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

So staying is an option then?

Tens of millions being loose change to these boys.

It’s an option in the same way that I’ve got a chance of having a three way with Sandra Bullock and Danny DeVito.

 

[Big Ron]

It’s an option in the same way that I’ve got a chance of having a three way with Sandra Bullock and Danny DeVito.

Not out of the question then?

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Not out of the question then?

Ron, please.