New Ground/ Stands

I know we have been through this before but some new interesting facts are coming to light. JS did say some months ago that any new ground/development was on the back boiler unless attendances started to sell out.

It has now been suggested that season tickets may hit the 5,000 mark and the maximum home support is posted on here at 6,800 ( excluding the Osmond). That means it only needs about 1,800 walk-ins to achieve a full house. A figure that is achievable.

If this constantly happens during the season I wonder if JS & AP will bump up a new ground/development as first priority at the end of the season.

It will definitely be on the agenda as it’s becoming increasingly clear that we’re going to need to upgrade the facilities, as much as we love Blundell Park, it’s probably not cost effective to make improvements.

A new ground with plenty of revenue opportunities is the way forward.

We have talked about a new stadium many times but nonetheless it is always good to talk through the options, because like you say the owners will have some decisions to make.

Personally I think they will improve the capacity at Blundell park over the next year or two and see where we are at in say 5 years, both in terms of league standing and support numbers.

A new stadium is such a huge commitment and will take up so much of their time and energy I think it will wait until we are an established league club and all the other things in and around the club have been addressed.

As for a new stadium, if it is characterful, a thing of beauty sited in the right place with a healthy capacity and a jewel in Grimsbys crown then great. If they conclude we could only afford a soulless mecanno box then I would rather redevelop BP and use a new training complex to try to generate more income with conference rooms and public football pitches etc. All easier said than done but whatever they do is going to cost a fortune but I fully expect the owners to find every financial opportunity to share the cost.

The immediate problem isn’t getting a new ground as attendances won’t match the required ROI to warrant the spend required. This will only happen with some form of partnership to enable the project. Years off in reality.

The immediate problem is the match day facilities at BP, toilets, catering, disabled accessibility, effective stewarding will all need to be upweighted with what could be more or less full houses most weeks.

All that said I wouldn’t be surprised to see the temp seating back soon. The club are doing things in the right order at the moment I think.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

The club are doing things in the right order at the moment I think.

Agreed,
      I'd rather be in the EFL thinking about a new stadium than sat in one watching National League football.

No updates on the new training ground unless I’ve missed something, seems to have gone quiet.

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking

Quoted from heppy88

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking

The same way you buy a house. A mortgage.

Didn't the club only finish paying for the Findus Stand a couple of years ago?

Quoted from heppy88

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking

There’s no doubting that the current economic situation complicates matters; a £20m stadium a year ago probably costs the best part of £30m to build now.

But clubs of similar size to and smaller than us have found various ways to finance new stadia. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Blundell Park, at least in its current guise, will not last forever and so it’s something which has to remain on the agenda if we are to ever fulfil our potential as a club.

Quoted from Poojah

There’s no doubting that the current economic situation complicates matters; a £20m a year ago probably costs the best part of £30m to build now.

But clubs of similar size to and smaller than us have found various ways to finance new stadia. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Blundell Park, at least in its current guise, will not last forever and so it’s something which has to remain on the agenda if we are to ever fulfil our potential as a club.

I don't disagree and would love to be proven wrong. But, if we are looking at 30 to 50 million for a relocation we can all be proud of, how on earth does a club the size of GTFC, in an area of the size of N.E. Lincs, with its average attendance (Not some pie in the sky predicted attendance), REALISTICLY finance that kind of money ?