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New Grandstand - 2 day public consultation
- Thread starter stewthenoo
- Start date
Not sure why you're pushing your chest out here and beating it with that response.
We'll start with the fact that the original argument isn't mine. It's Grumpy's. I've not really commented on his point about the competition of businesses.
All I did was suggest that your post may not be entirely truthful, because it isn't. The proposed gym isn't for the club. That's not a criticism of anything, just a statement of fact.
I've also no idea where your scale point comes into things? I've never used (and probably never will use) the life centre gym. I couldn't tell you if they've got 2 rowing machines or 20. I couldn't possibly comment on that.
It'll be disappointing for James Brent if his proposed plans aren't financially viable also, as you suggest, or else he'll end up with either an empty unit or another unfulfilled development.
We'll start with the fact that the original argument isn't mine. It's Grumpy's. I've not really commented on his point about the competition of businesses.
All I did was suggest that your post may not be entirely truthful, because it isn't. The proposed gym isn't for the club. That's not a criticism of anything, just a statement of fact.
I've also no idea where your scale point comes into things? I've never used (and probably never will use) the life centre gym. I couldn't tell you if they've got 2 rowing machines or 20. I couldn't possibly comment on that.
It'll be disappointing for James Brent if his proposed plans aren't financially viable also, as you suggest, or else he'll end up with either an empty unit or another unfulfilled development.
It's a hypothetical question, but I think an important one to bare in mind with regards to the bigger picture here.
Many fans are happy to just turn a blind eye and ignore everything that's happening simply because Plymouth Argyle are getting an updated grandstand and quite frankly that's as far as their interest in the situation goes.
However, IF (and yes it's an IF), Simon Hallett wasn't extremely generously lending the club Ā£5 million and no refurbishment of the grandstand was therefore taking place, how would this forum be reacting to a plan by James Brent to build a massive profit-making home park complex separate to Argyle with no profit or moneys whatsoever going towards either the financing of a stand or the club?
Many fans are happy to just turn a blind eye and ignore everything that's happening simply because Plymouth Argyle are getting an updated grandstand and quite frankly that's as far as their interest in the situation goes.
However, IF (and yes it's an IF), Simon Hallett wasn't extremely generously lending the club Ā£5 million and no refurbishment of the grandstand was therefore taking place, how would this forum be reacting to a plan by James Brent to build a massive profit-making home park complex separate to Argyle with no profit or moneys whatsoever going towards either the financing of a stand or the club?
No its not pointless, its probably one of the most salient posts on the thread. Its only pointless because you cant answer it.
So you are happy with another {Edited by admin. This is a family friendly site. The swearchecker is there for a reason!}
I'm not a James Brent lover or sceptic. However, the bloke owns this land so why not try & make something from it. He's perfectly entitled to make some money for himself. Argyle are getting their grandstand updated via finance from an Argyle fan who wouldn't, I'm sure, hold the football club to ransom. I really don't see the problem with these plans.
Tugboat":1xloj7bc said:
So Tuggers, what sort of person would you have been content with taking over the club at the time we nearly went out of existence? We were in administration and the only way we were going to get out of that was to cease as a going entity (nobody gets any money) or for SOMEONE to come in and negotiate a deal to keep us going. Peter Ridsdale had already seen an opportunity and was prepared to buy the club for just Ā£1. Now, I'm not sure what his motives were beyond that, but I'm not sure whether he would be thinking of the local community in any venture that he may have concocted (My opinion). I did question him, face to face, at the time as to his motives. The best I could get from him was that he was saving the club by selling off all the assets. No mention of how he would take the club forward.
How about some rich Oligarch? Didn't see many of them queuing up when the chips were down!
Cue James Brent; a businessman, but reluctant buyer. Sure, there are business opportunities for anyone buying the club, and James has seen an opportunity to develop not only the club, but also to use that in his own business portfolio. Contrary to the beliefs of many Jeremy Corbyn supporters, money does not grow on trees. Along the way, as well as negotiating the best deal (for the club in order to keep it afloat) with creditors [don't forget that many of the speculative investors who put the club further into debt got their money back], James has ploughed his own money into the club and has become a devoted fan now, along with the rest of his family, so he wants the best for the club, as well as to invest in his business. He has already said that he is not the person to take this club beyond the Championship and, perhaps, with the arrival of Simon Hallett, now Vice Chairman, there is an opportunity for James to bow out gracefully sometime in the future, knowing that the club he has grown to love and has invested time and money in, is in good hands going forward.
We should be extremely thankful that we have had someone like this to steer us on this journey from the abyss of extinction and that, when he does step down (I do not think he will walk away from the club) that he has put us on a firm, self sustaining footing, with the ability to generate much needed income from the use of the stadium on non match days. PAFC and the city of Plymouth will also benefit from James' developments, so let's celebrate that, rather than shooting down the efforts that have been made in order to get us here.
Chancellor":25yq61hy said:
It is pointless and it wouldn't happen, do you think it's just coincidence that both schemes of that kind have come as part of a grandstand development?
Why hasn't JB got started on a 'massive profit making complex' in the long period since the last HHP scheme went up in smoke?
Perhaps I'm just naive, but it's because building a grandstand has been the number one priority for JB and the board, and yes, the rest of the scheme is off the back of that.
Really struggling to understand the concerns here, UNLESS the other parts of the jigsaw hamper the grandstand application in any way. Which as it's much smaller than HHP, I can't really see. I'd also like to see restaurants that aren't just either fast food outlets or the usual Frankie and Bennys type, but again... we'll see :thumbs:
Biggs":isoml618 said:
That's pretty much my point isn't it, if Brent had gone public with these plans before a generous fan decided to lend us Ā£5 million quid to develop our stand this forum and Argyle fans in general would have gone into meltdown, so he wouldn't been able to get away with it.
It's a fair point. I'm really too bothered what goes up, or what James Brent makes from it. I wish him all the best, but as a fan of the football club my interest lies in what benefit all this extra stuff stands to serve Argyle?
The Grandstand uplift is set to happen with Simon Hallett's loan AND money from the other directors. No amount has been disclosed, but this project isn't solely funded through the Hallett's cash - mostly, but it has been reported that the directors have put in a bit on top. I'm guessing that's where the director reshuffle comes into things?
The Grandstand uplift should not be (and I don't believe it is) dependent on the commercial projects. The commercial venture is separate as far as I can see. The only conjoining factor being the club used to own part of the land until Brent sold it to himself (or was it previously in council hands, my memory is it was all part of the club?).
So, the question remains. If Hallett has a change of heart and no longer fronts the loan for the Grandstand uplift, would we be happy with Home Park remaining as is, while James Brent builds this commercial project next door? I for one wouldn't be. So are we actually set to gain from this project? Mr Wrench suggest that there's some form of profit share? Does anyone have further information on this to help ease the souls of some of us skeptics?
Previously HHP was going to take place and the club would benefit to the tune of 10mil in the form of a brand new (albeit small) grandstand. If, say, the development was going to finance stage 2 then great. But stage 2 is wishful thinking and uncosted as things stand.
The Grandstand uplift is set to happen with Simon Hallett's loan AND money from the other directors. No amount has been disclosed, but this project isn't solely funded through the Hallett's cash - mostly, but it has been reported that the directors have put in a bit on top. I'm guessing that's where the director reshuffle comes into things?
The Grandstand uplift should not be (and I don't believe it is) dependent on the commercial projects. The commercial venture is separate as far as I can see. The only conjoining factor being the club used to own part of the land until Brent sold it to himself (or was it previously in council hands, my memory is it was all part of the club?).
So, the question remains. If Hallett has a change of heart and no longer fronts the loan for the Grandstand uplift, would we be happy with Home Park remaining as is, while James Brent builds this commercial project next door? I for one wouldn't be. So are we actually set to gain from this project? Mr Wrench suggest that there's some form of profit share? Does anyone have further information on this to help ease the souls of some of us skeptics?
Previously HHP was going to take place and the club would benefit to the tune of 10mil in the form of a brand new (albeit small) grandstand. If, say, the development was going to finance stage 2 then great. But stage 2 is wishful thinking and uncosted as things stand.
HC Green":3d3ztom5 said:
You would be surprised mate. Fife Ice Arena in Kirkcaldy does surprisingly well, when it is not being used for ice hockey then it is open to the public and it does very good trade. Bare in mind that you also have rinks in Edinburgh and Dundee in competition, I think that an ice arena in Plymouth with the nearest next one being a long, way away would be very popular, and people would travel there from all over Devon and Cornwall.
