Randy Bumgardener
AKA Randy Bumgardener
I've highlighted the bits of interest !
Linky
THE city council was set to officially approve Nottingham's 2018 World Cup bid today.
The authority will contribute £50,000 to help cover the costs of the bid, which seeks to make Nottingham one of the host cities if the Football Association is successful in bringing the tournament to England.
Notts County Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council will make similar contributions.
All three council have committed to work together to develop the bid, and they have provided members of staff for project teams working on it.
However, in papers submitted to Nottingham City Council's Executive Board, officers make clear that one of the biggest risks to the success of the bid is the building of an adequate stadium.
They emphasise the challenge of delivering a new ground, with an outline planning application "probably two years away" and the difficulty of redeveloping the City Ground in line with Fifa requirements.
The city council papers state: "Nottingham and Nottinghamshire can demonstrate a strong offer in many of the bid requirement areas.
"It is also considered that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is well placed having staged many international sporting events which can be combined with a strong football pedigree and heritage
"The review identifies that the current stadium is however not fit for purpose and research regarding the current status of readiness to deliver a new offer is at very early stages."
Fifa's technical specification for host cities require a stadium with a capacity of 45,000 seats, as well as space around the ground for extensive facilities, such as a media centre.
Since September, Nottingham Forest have been speaking to all three local authorities about proposals to move to a new stadium, possibly in the area between Lady Bay and Holme Pierrepont.
The stadium would be part of a new "sports quarter", featuring extensive facilities for local people.
But a review of Nottingham's state of readiness to host the tournament, undertaken by Nottingham Development Enterprise, has made council officials cautious.
Council papers quote the NDE report as saying: "The exact site has yet to be confirmed for the stadium and a full business plan is required. Flooding issues need to be resolved and a funding package assembled, therefore an outline application is probably two years away."
The papers add: "Although this does not necessarily mean that the new stadium project may not be pursued, it is highly likely that by the time the formal host city bid has to be submitted (November 2009), that little will have occurred to significantly address the issues highlighted.
"It would therefore seem prudent and responsible to encourage an alternative contingency option to be pursued. In particular a redevelopment of the current City Ground, although not without considerable difficulties, could be a possible alternative."
Coun Kay Cutts, the Conservative leader of Notts County Council, has stated that she would favour redevelopment of the City Ground.
The city council papers state: "The county council is not minded to support any proposed new stadia beyond the existing urban area, but supports the view that the redevelopment of the existing City Ground site should be explored as a priority."
A survey of 233 people in West Bridgford, Gamston, Radcliffe-on-Trent and Cotgrave, undertaken by the Evening Post, found marginally more in favour of a new stadium and sports quarter than against.
Linky
THE city council was set to officially approve Nottingham's 2018 World Cup bid today.
The authority will contribute £50,000 to help cover the costs of the bid, which seeks to make Nottingham one of the host cities if the Football Association is successful in bringing the tournament to England.
Notts County Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council will make similar contributions.
All three council have committed to work together to develop the bid, and they have provided members of staff for project teams working on it.
However, in papers submitted to Nottingham City Council's Executive Board, officers make clear that one of the biggest risks to the success of the bid is the building of an adequate stadium.
They emphasise the challenge of delivering a new ground, with an outline planning application "probably two years away" and the difficulty of redeveloping the City Ground in line with Fifa requirements.
The city council papers state: "Nottingham and Nottinghamshire can demonstrate a strong offer in many of the bid requirement areas.
"It is also considered that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is well placed having staged many international sporting events which can be combined with a strong football pedigree and heritage
"The review identifies that the current stadium is however not fit for purpose and research regarding the current status of readiness to deliver a new offer is at very early stages."
Fifa's technical specification for host cities require a stadium with a capacity of 45,000 seats, as well as space around the ground for extensive facilities, such as a media centre.
Since September, Nottingham Forest have been speaking to all three local authorities about proposals to move to a new stadium, possibly in the area between Lady Bay and Holme Pierrepont.
The stadium would be part of a new "sports quarter", featuring extensive facilities for local people.
But a review of Nottingham's state of readiness to host the tournament, undertaken by Nottingham Development Enterprise, has made council officials cautious.
Council papers quote the NDE report as saying: "The exact site has yet to be confirmed for the stadium and a full business plan is required. Flooding issues need to be resolved and a funding package assembled, therefore an outline application is probably two years away."
The papers add: "Although this does not necessarily mean that the new stadium project may not be pursued, it is highly likely that by the time the formal host city bid has to be submitted (November 2009), that little will have occurred to significantly address the issues highlighted.
"It would therefore seem prudent and responsible to encourage an alternative contingency option to be pursued. In particular a redevelopment of the current City Ground, although not without considerable difficulties, could be a possible alternative."
Coun Kay Cutts, the Conservative leader of Notts County Council, has stated that she would favour redevelopment of the City Ground.
The city council papers state: "The county council is not minded to support any proposed new stadia beyond the existing urban area, but supports the view that the redevelopment of the existing City Ground site should be explored as a priority."
A survey of 233 people in West Bridgford, Gamston, Radcliffe-on-Trent and Cotgrave, undertaken by the Evening Post, found marginally more in favour of a new stadium and sports quarter than against.
