Royal Elm Park

[Forbury Lion]

I presume the answer to all these questions is the Thai's have gazillions of money and don't need external finance. If so a downturn in China could impact on them a lot.

That may also explain why they are investing in the UK like many other Asian companies. They're getting their money out before the collapse.

[multisync1830]

I also wonder how the deal is financed.

Say it costs £200m, where is that money coming from? Is it being borrowed from financial institutions? If so what security is being used against the debt, the club?

Will a development collapse half way through because of a down turn China which severely impacts on our Thai owners liquidity?

Why did SJM never develop this land given how he loves a bit of property development such as all of the area around the station?

What was stopping SJM accessing finance to develop Royal Elm Park.

I presume the answer to all these questions is the Thai's have gazillions of money and don't need external finance. If so a downturn in China could impact on them a lot.

I still don't rule out the general collapse in the Russian economy and the collapse of the banking in Cyprus where most Russians kept their cash in 2013 as one of the reasons why Zinga lost the ability to fund Reading FC.

I was told that SJM did look at redeveloping the land but due to the difficulties it wasn't deemed cost effective. I suspect because of all his previous failed attempts at business he wasn't in a position to open it up again.

I still believe the drivers behind the club purchase was Empire Asia which has access to huge sums and has vast experience of this kind of investment.

My understanding of the Anton affair was Dad withdrew funding and as his father got his money form paper mills I am not convinced any downturn was a factor.

[Nameless]

Went to the session at the Town Hall yesterday. Very interesting.
Spoke to one of the architects, planning advisors, transport team and others.
Generally very positive impressions.
Multisync'sbridge issue was dealt with. Firstly as suspected the pictures are illustrative, not final. Secondly the intention is to link through to the 1871 lounge so it can be used for meetings etc and also match day entertaining can be done in the new buildings. The exact entry point for the bridge is still to be decided as the big white structural frame is somewhat in the way, but there will be internal changes to the stadium to make it work
The stadium expansion is still on the agenda, and there is no reason it can't be done at the same time as the other phases. They have assumed it will be expanded at some point but we need to have established ourselves in the Prem.
They looked at completely clearing the site but it's not what the plan. It isn't contaminated and there are benefits in building on a landfill site. Apparently it's quite leading edge but if they can build this on a landfill site it would change the perception of how such sites can be used in future.. Clearing the site and digging deeper would be prohibitively expensive and would not, apparently, have any environmental benefits. They are working with specialist environmental consultants to make the development as green as possible.
They are really focuses on making the transport links as good as possible so people simply don't need to drive right to the site. Still not 100% convinced on this, there is a huge perception problem to overcome as people do want to drive door to door even if a better solution us there.
Heard some very interesting finance stuff but not sure if it is supposed to be widely known. Bottom line is that if what I was told is correct we have a pretty amazing set of owners. They are here long term, they have a priority to establish us as a top team and are willing to invest to make it happen. The scheme has already seen money flow into RFCand the development does not load debt onto the club.
Was worth going along but a little rushed so if any of the above is slightly wrong I apologise. I deftly came away feeling this is a serious project , still with some question marks but could be a huge asset for the club.

[PieEater]

They are really focuses on making the transport links as good as possible so people simply don't need to drive right to the site. Still not 100% convinced on this, there is a huge perception problem to overcome as people do want to drive door to door even if a better solution us there.

Like the shuttle bus to the station, great service but implemented completely wrong. £4 return/£3.50 single when all other buses are half those prices, then you wait 20mins for them to load the buses, then you sit in the same traffic as the cars parking at the stadium.

The only way it would work is to build the transport cost into the ticket prices as BHA do, have smart cards for payment and give traffic priority to buses around the stadium

[Nameless]

They are really focuses on making the transport links as good as possible so people simply don't need to drive right to the site. Still not 100% convinced on this, there is a huge perception problem to overcome as people do want to drive door to door even if a better solution us there.

Like the shuttle bus to the station, great service but implemented completely wrong. £4 return/£3.50 single when all other buses are half those prices, then you wait 20mins for them to load the buses, then you sit in the same traffic as the cars parking at the stadium.

The only way it would work is to build the transport cost into the ticket prices as BHA do, have smart cards for payment and give traffic priority to buses around the stadium

Surely it would work without complicating it with smart cards, which would be horrendous and raise more problems than simply paying cash or even making the local buses free. The plans do include a mass transit bus hub the idea being I think that you could fill buses really quickly. Does depend on having lots of buses though and I believe this has been an issue in the past where bus companies simply didn't have enough drivers willing to work late shifts and weekends.

[Coppelled_Streets]

Went to the session at the Town Hall yesterday. Very interesting.
Spoke to one of the architects, planning advisors, transport team and others.
Generally very positive impressions.
Multisync'sbridge issue was dealt with. Firstly as suspected the pictures are illustrative, not final. Secondly the intention is to link through to the 1871 lounge so it can be used for meetings etc and also match day entertaining can be done in the new buildings. The exact entry point for the bridge is still to be decided as the big white structural frame is somewhat in the way, but there will be internal changes to the stadium to make it work
The stadium expansion is still on the agenda, and there is no reason it can't be done at the same time as the other phases. They have assumed it will be expanded at some point but we need to have established ourselves in the Prem.
They looked at completely clearing the site but it's not what the plan. It isn't contaminated and there are benefits in building on a landfill site. Apparently it's quite leading edge but if they can build this on a landfill site it would change the perception of how such sites can be used in future.. Clearing the site and digging deeper would be prohibitively expensive and would not, apparently, have any environmental benefits. They are working with specialist environmental consultants to make the development as green as possible.
They are really focuses on making the transport links as good as possible so people simply don't need to drive right to the site. Still not 100% convinced on this, there is a huge perception problem to overcome as people do want to drive door to door even if a better solution us there.
Heard some very interesting finance stuff but not sure if it is supposed to be widely known. Bottom line is that if what I was told is correct we have a pretty amazing set of owners. They are here long term, they have a priority to establish us as a top team and are willing to invest to make it happen. The scheme has already seen money flow into RFCand the development does not load debt onto the club.
Was worth going along but a little rushed so if any of the above is slightly wrong I apologise. I deftly came away feeling this is a serious project , still with some question marks but could be a huge asset for the club.

Thanks for that, much appreciated.

[Silver Fox]

They are really focuses on making the transport links as good as possible so people simply don't need to drive right to the site. Still not 100% convinced on this, there is a huge perception problem to overcome as people do want to drive door to door even if a better solution us there.

Like the shuttle bus to the station, great service but implemented completely wrong. £4 return/£3.50 single when all other buses are half those prices, then you wait 20mins for them to load the buses, then you sit in the same traffic as the cars parking at the stadium.

The only way it would work is to build the transport cost into the ticket prices as BHA do, have smart cards for payment and give traffic priority to buses around the stadium

That seems to ignore the fact that the current system works. You not liking it doesn't mean it doesn't work

[genome]

Lovely stuff Nameless.

[Green]

Have to say the bus fare riles me too. Not the cost of it per se but definitely the cost relative to other journeys.

And especially when you see the driver just pocketing the cash and not issuing a ticket for single fares.

[Silver Fox]

The £4 return is OK in comparison to normal bus fares around the 'ding, not entirely sure why the single is so much though

[genome]

Who's buying a single to the ground and not returning?

[Green]

You mean not returning to the station by bus immediately following the game?

Not sure what you're after really but there are certainly a few cases where this might apply.

[genome]

Yeah, there isn't exactly much to do around the ground, and it's a bit of a trek to the nearest normal bus stop.

[Green]

Yeh lose your fixation on bus being the only method of transport available.

"Do you want a lift home mate?"
"Nah I can't, I got the bus here"

[genome]

You seem a little snippy today Green, everything alright?

[Green]

Sorry missed a

[RoyalBlue]

They are really focuses on making the transport links as good as possible so people simply don't need to drive right to the site. Still not 100% convinced on this, there is a huge perception problem to overcome as people do want to drive door to door even if a better solution us there.

Like the shuttle bus to the station, great service but implemented completely wrong. £4 return/£3.50 single when all other buses are half those prices, then you wait 20mins for them to load the buses, then you sit in the same traffic as the cars parking at the stadium.

The only way it would work is to build the transport cost into the ticket prices as BHA do, have smart cards for payment and give traffic priority to buses around the stadium

That seems to ignore the fact that the current system works. You not liking it doesn't mean it doesn't work

It works for some but clearly there are thousands of people for whom it doesn't work and/or who don't like it - evidenced by the amount of cars parked in the car parks at and near the stadium on match days. It is unlikely to work any better for them or be any more popular with them when much of that parking disappears.

Myself and my family like going to games but the massively increased costs, in both time and money, of having to use public transport to get there would make our attendance far more sporadic and certainly wouldn't justify the purchase of season tickets.

[Green]

Public transport is for other people, right RoyalBlue

[genome]

I assume if you're going for a pint after the match, then you'll have to buy a £3.50 single ticket and then another single ticket for a normal bus from whatever pub you're then walking to - it makes more sense to get a football return to/from town and just drink there.

It's £3.50 because I expect the need for a single is rare and they're happy to capitalise on that as they wouldn't get many complaints.

[Green]

Replace "capitalise" with "exploit" and yeh I'd say you're spot on there.

TBF they're not alone, train fares are similar.