Stadium Expansion

[Royal Lady]

I just hope aesthetically the final product is as nice as the plans we had drawn up for the extension originally.

I can't see the plans being the same.
Reckon that TSI will adjust the expansion to include more corporate hospitality. Boxes.

I actually hope they do change the plans and add a row of boxes at the top of the current East Stand. It makes financial sense, and would create a beast of a stand when it's finished with another 7000 on top.

The fancy idea of sloping roofs isn't my cup of tea either. It's actually a waste of space if we wanted to maximise what available space there is to expand the stadium. Just expand straight back. Later we can do the same behind the goals if required, and then the corners if need be.

If they do this, I just hope they stick to the original plans and make our current row the back row, so that the complete knobheads sat behind me will no longer be there!

[SPARTA]

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... e_planning

Can you say much about the stadium expansion right now?

Not really. We need to put a new planning application in because the current one expired and that will take a year or so to plan and get.

The last project that we did was a number of years ago so we want to make sure what we are thinking is current in terms of engineering and all the possibilities we have.

Will it be right back to the drawing board then? Is it still about expanding the East Stand first?

In terms of the numbers it is pretty easy. If we do do it then it will probably be the East Stand first then the North and South.

But we need to think about the engineering, new technologies and the lay-out as well. The corporate base will help us sell hospitality if we do well on the pitch.

We are planning it behind the scenes, but I can’t say we will start that tomorrow.

It will obviously take time to get the planning permission, but hopefully we can start at the end of next season.

Have you spoken to Reading Borough Council about Green Park and a rail link to the ground?

Not yet. We need to first get our stadium planning done and that will take some time.

Then we will look at the infrastructure around. We have land around the stadium that can also be developed and it is a project that we are looking into right now.



The focus appears to be on making the club as much money as possible, so there's a real possibility of more exec boxes and a two tier east stand, and that could in my opinion even follow around behind the south and north stands to maximise revenue.

[Royal Lady]

They're always pushing hospitality packages, so unless we stay in the Prem - I can't see these extra boxes being used very often.

[SPARTA]

They're always pushing hospitality packages, so unless we stay in the Prem - I can't see these extra boxes being used very often.

That's a given for every club. Same with taking the capacity to 30,000 plus. We wont sell-out outside the Premiership unless perhaps it's a Play-off Semi, but we have the seats there for the next promotion when they will often be used. If you want to maximise potential revenue, then you have to expand capacity and hospitality and be ready to accommodate it when the demand is there.

[Divvy]

I like the idea of a two tier east stand. I can't see how it would effect the atmosphere at all. It wont stop us singing, and if anything, there will be more bums behind us who may even join in and improve it.

Also looking at the plans on the previous page, we were effectively doubling the east stand and sticking another straight on top. Now we would be doing that with boxes in the middle. As said, that will be a monster of a stand when finished!

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Land around the stadium, must mean the dome. Guess moving it to the new training ground and putting something else there, wonder what?

[SLAMMED]

I remember your previous comments on this hence my comment on your comment.

I see

[SPARTA]

I remember your previous comments on this hence my comment on your comment.

I see

A two tier east stand wont affect your seat either.

[Jackson Corner]

A note of caution. Wolves spent two seasons in the prem decided to expand the stadium. Built a massive new stand with plans to increase the capacity to 50,000. Then relegated now stairing down the barrell of division one!

[West Stand Man]

I like the idea of a two tier east stand. I can't see how it would effect the atmosphere at all. It wont stop us singing, and if anything, there will be more bums behind us who may even join in and improve it.

Also looking at the plans on the previous page, we were effectively doubling the east stand and sticking another straight on top. Now we would be doing that with boxes in the middle. As said, that will be a monster of a stand when finished!

It wouldn't effect any atmosphere per se. It might, however, affect it.

[SPARTA]

A note of caution. Wolves spent two seasons in the prem decided to expand the stadium. Built a massive new stand with plans to increase the capacity to 50,000. Then relegated now stairing down the barrell of division one!

Coincidently happens all the time. As long as we don't hold back funds for the first team at the same time then it would be fine, but other clubs have reduced spending on the playing staff to help fund the build and paid for it with relegation.

[SLAMMED]

I like the idea of a two tier east stand. I can't see how it would effect the atmosphere at all. It wont stop us singing, and if anything, there will be more bums behind us who may even join in and improve it.

Yeah because the West Stand is the physical definition of atmosphere.

[Divvy]

I like the idea of a two tier east stand. I can't see how it would effect the atmosphere at all. It wont stop us singing, and if anything, there will be more bums behind us who may even join in and improve it.

Yeah because the West Stand is the physical definition of atmosphere.

You wont even notice the toffs in the boxes, or the fans in the upper tier; so why would it impact those of us who like to sing? It wont. and your reference to the west stand is pointless. It's still a relatively new stadium, and the majority of the west stand are the fans that used to like sitting in the old norfolk road stand; same as those of us who used to like being under the south bank opted for the east stand near the away end. Whatever happens to the east stand, the atmosphere will not be worse for it. In fact it could only improve if anything, with 14,000 plus cheering from one stand.

[SLAMMED]

Yes but I lose my seat in the process of them building the boxes so they can piss off.

[Royal Lady]

Yes but I lose my seat in the process of them building the boxes so they can piss off.

[Divvy]

Yes but I lose my seat in the process of them building the boxes so they can piss off.

You don't know that. As part of the old plans yes you did, but if they add the hospitality they are talking about, we're looking at a row of boxes, not one small area as was planned. All existing seats should be fine. The building work goes on behind us.

[SLAMMED]

Yes but I lose my seat in the process of them building the boxes so they can piss off.

You don't know that. As part of the old plans yes you did, but if they add the hospitality they are talking about, we're looking at a row of boxes, not one small area as was planned. All existing seats should be fine. The building work goes on behind us.

Nope. I was even informed about it when they originally set the plans out. I doubt anything will change.

[Albert Spangler]

Yes but I lose my seat in the process of them building the boxes so they can piss off.

You don't know that. As part of the old plans yes you did, but if they add the hospitality they are talking about, we're looking at a row of boxes, not one small area as was planned. All existing seats should be fine. The building work goes on behind us.

Nope. I was even informed about it when they originally set the plans out. I doubt anything will change.

This. The planning permission is simply renewed year on year. The East Stand's hospitality will be directly opposite the West Stand's.

I'm right in the NE corner. I guess that my seat in row Z may be under threat as well (though I've not been notified previously).

[SLAMMED]

You'll be alright in the corners. It's only going to stretch across 3 blocks:

[Number 9]

The planning permission is simply renewed year on year. The East Stand's hospitality will be directly opposite the West Stand's.

I don't think this is correct. AZ has now said the club is reviewing the design and will be submitting a new planning application, which will take about a year. It therefore seems the current permission won't be implemented, as a 'simple' application to extend the time limit would take only a matter of weeks. The new proposed development could be completely different to the existing permission in terms of design, capacity etc. so we don't know what the new hospitality will entail yet and by the sounds of it, neither does the club at this stage.