Royal Elm Park

[WAZZOCK]

No one on that side of business fits that criteria, so the either person you spoke to is talking bollocks or you are.

Is One8seven1 that bellend 'Jay' off Twitter? All he seems to do is post negative drivel and lies about REP based on no knowledge whatsoever.

He also complains about hating modern football, but wasn't he the toaster who tried to introduce a 'beach party' theme for the final home game of each season?!

[Nameless]

Pretty sure I can work out whomthe poster is trying to say he met.
Sadly the only 80's player who worked for the club in any kind of hospitality role retired several years ago.
Story is bulls#it .

LOL at the 'every one I talk to behind the scenes' line

[Sutekh]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/readi ... 95701.html

A huge “world-class” convention centre in the Thames Valley is being planned by the owners of Reading football club to lure business from London venues such as ExCeL and Olympia.

They believe that the arrival of Crossrail in 2019 will effectively turn the Berkshire town into “an extension of west London” and allow it to compete for lucrative trade conferences and exhibitions, as well as cultural events such as concerts.

The International would be built on land next to Reading’s Madejski stadium near the M4, which is currently being used as a car park and a training centre. It would have a 6,000-strong capacity, making it bigger than rivals in the south, such as the Brighton Centre and the Bournemouth International Centre.

Praphant Asava-aree, director of RFC Prop Co, a subsidiary of the Thai-owned club, said: “If you are looking for somewhere that will host more than 5,000 people in one room, there is really nothing there at the moment.

“A lot of the big international companies that want to do business in the UK look to locate in this area because it is so easy to get to Heathrow. If you want to get from Heathrow to central London you will be lucky if it takes an hour, and it can take much longer. So we believe Reading will be a very good alternative to London for people holding conference events or exhibitions. If you look at London now, Earls Court has gone, ExCeL is very expensive.”

The convention centre would include an ice rink and would be at the heart of a £200 million development called Royal Elm Park, which would include 600 new homes, a hotel, restaurants and a park.

Nigel Howe, chief executive of Reading football club, said: “Royal Elm Park is a unique opportunity for Reading to deliver a world-class convention centre that will put the town on the map and enable us to compete on a world stage.

“It will also benefit the football club and will be important for Reading’s future growth, attracting national and international investment and offering tangible benefits for local people with new homes, jobs and an improved match-day experience.”

A planning application has been submitted to Reading council, with a decision expected in December or early in the New Year. If it gets the go-ahead, the convention centre is expected to open in 2018.

[bagman]

Brenda's Father in law !

[RG30]

Brenda's Father in law !

Former

[Jagermesiter1871]

Just want any sort of decent centre so there could some prospect of getting on the gig circuit for touring bands as it is quite pathetic that the Thames Valley/Berkshire has nothing to host decent size concerts on a regular basis

Yea it is quite frustrating when watching TV and some band is on talking about a tour they're doing. Up pops the poster saying where they are going:

Cardiff
Bristol
Bournemouth
Oxford
Nottingham
....

Everytime...

Oxford is only 30/40 minutes from Reading. As is London. I think is more the reason why we don't have/need a major venue centre.

[Jagermesiter1871]

Just want any sort of decent centre so there could some prospect of getting on the gig circuit for touring bands as it is quite pathetic that the Thames Valley/Berkshire has nothing to host decent size concerts on a regular basis

Yea it is quite frustrating when watching TV and some band is on talking about a tour they're doing. Up pops the poster saying where they are going:

Cardiff
Bristol
Bournemouth
Oxford
Nottingham
....

Everytime...

Oxford is only 30/40 minutes from Reading. As is London. I think this is more the reason why we don't have/need a major venue centre.

[Greatwesternline]

One8Seven1* wrote:
I attended a wake at the stadium recently, and what I believe was an events manager hung around talking to many of us. I don't recall his name, but he was quick to mention he'd played for the club in the 80's and alongside Trevor Senior. He says what a lot of us are thinking, that when REP is built and sold, and the Thai's make their money, they're off. He was very confident of that. He also suggests the club wont make much from it, mainly the conference centre which will bring in small pickings in football terms. The Thai's were lured her by the promise of the land and what they could do with it, and in the meantime they promised to stabilise the club, but long-term they have no interest in the football side. The debt as mentioned hasn't been cleared, neither has it reduced. It has infact increased. Expect the delay in the new training ground to continue right up until they sell. The only way it will start any earlier is if the club can take on the additional debt to fund it, which it shouldn't do. Make of that what you willl; he is, with respect, a no one as such, but it seems anyone I talk to behind the scenes at the club all share the same opinion of what's to come, and no one as yet has anyhting positive to say about REP except Nigel Howe who is very much the Thai's man now.

Even if this person doesn't have a clue. I see no reason to not believe it. If you are a property developer why the f*** would you want to hold onto a football club for a moment longer than necessary.

Loses money, takes up lot of management time. Generates negative publicity if un performing. Its a no brainer

[tidus_mi2]

I would argue the exact opposite, no credible source, I would say there is no reason to believe him, from my perspective you have chosen to believe him as it fits you belief that the Thais are just after the land with no interest in the club.

[Greatwesternline]

I would argue the exact opposite, no credible source, I would say there is no reason to believe him, from my perspective you have chosen to believe him as it fits you belief that the Thais are just after the land with no interest in the club.

I don't care about the source. Yes it does fit my belief that the Thai's are interested in the land not the club. They are a property development concern.

The development will take another 5 years or so lets says. Then they would have owned the club for 6-8 years. Why would they want to keep it?

Its not a viable business. They aren't philanthropists.

[Sutekh]

I would argue the exact opposite, no credible source, I would say there is no reason to believe him, from my perspective you have chosen to believe him as it fits you belief that the Thais are just after the land with no interest in the club.

I don't care about the source. Yes it does fit my belief that the Thai's are interested in the land not the club. They are a property development concern.

The development will take another 5 years or so lets says. Then they would have owned the club for 6-8 years. Why would they want to keep it?

Its not a viable business. They aren't philanthropists.

That's unfortunate, I was hoping to be able to swap some of my coronation comemorative stamps for selection of old Siam classics.

[Lenny The Tramp]

Royal Elm Park will be the beginning of the end of Reading FC.

Will result in no car parking and very little room for buses on match day. What we will have, though, will be a non existent train station on a line that is a long way from the stadium. And empty flats owned by overseas landlords.

Millwall fans are mounting a huge campaign to prevent development around their ground. They think it will destroy access to the ground and kill the club. And they have a train station right next to them that has about 10 trains an hour.

Meanwhile Reading fans wonder about how many seats the new conference centre will have and whether some band might be able to play there.

If you were a developer, you'd look at the plans and think: "If only there wasn't that blinking great big stadium in the middle of all this."

[royalp-we]

Royal Elm Park will be the beginning of the end of Reading FC.

Will result in no car parking and very little room for buses on match day. What we will have, though, will be a non existent train station on a line that is a long way from the stadium. And empty flats owned by overseas landlords.

Millwall fans are mounting a huge campaign to prevent development around their ground. They think it will destroy access to the ground and kill the club. And they have a train station right next to them that has about 10 trains an hour.

Meanwhile Reading fans wonder about how many seats the new conference centre will have and whether some band might be able to play there.

If you were a developer, you'd look at the plans and think: "If only there wasn't that blinking great big stadium in the middle of all this."

The other option is to keep all the wasteland around the stadium as a level car park. "If I were a developer" I'd be thinking the area is crying out for some creation of something along the lines of new homes, leisure facilities & Restaurants which the REP proposal offers, 1000 jobs and generating year round income for whatever parties,

- Car Parking Multi storey car parks and several more park and ride options have been earmarked.
- Buses All buses to/from the stadium following development will be FREE. Even if the capacity were to increase to 38,000 in future.
- Train Station Either way this goes, I can't see this having too much of an impact.
- Flats I'd imagine these will be quite sought after; with many as leases for overseas business owners.
- Millwall Seriously? Have you visited the Den? The local area is screaming out for a) renovating and b) development and c) migration.

Ps Before you ask, no I'm not on the committee. I just see this as beneficial to both the club; and the local area.

[West Stand Man]

Royal Elm Park will be the beginning of the end of Reading FC.

Will result in no car parking and very little room for buses on match day. What we will have, though, will be a non existent train station on a line that is a long way from the stadium. And empty flats owned by overseas landlords.

Millwall fans are mounting a huge campaign to prevent development around their ground. They think it will destroy access to the ground and kill the club. And they have a train station right next to them that has about 10 trains an hour.

Meanwhile Reading fans wonder about how many seats the new conference centre will have and whether some band might be able to play there.

If you were a developer, you'd look at the plans and think: "If only there wasn't that blinking great big stadium in the middle of all this."

Yes, because that is what the developers at Wembley said, I guess?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Wembley being sat right within an ugly "industrial" area

[Nameless]

Aren't Millwall fans about 20 years too late ? Moving from the Den killed their club.

For those taking the negative view, please give us your alternatives ! There are very few rich people (philanthropists !) willing to throw money at football clubs. We were lucky that for 20 years we had a close approximation. Once SJM ran out of cash presumably your best suggestion would have been to fold the club....

[Greatwesternline]

Aren't Millwall fans about 20 years too late ? Moving from the Den killed their club.

For those taking the negative view, please give us your alternatives ! There are very few rich people (philanthropists !) willing to throw money at football clubs. We were lucky that for 20 years we had a close approximation. Once SJM ran out of cash presumably your best suggestion would have been to fold the club....

I'm perfectly happy with the Thai's, they have stumped up a lot. I think we are lucky to have them, and am enjoying the rise. But i'm under no illusions that unless we get promoted and establish ourselves as a viable profit making machine they will be off, and we will be looking for new owners. But i dont mind too much, i'm 30, Reading have had it unbelievably good for the last 15 years. If it carries on for a few more years i'd have had more pleasure than the average football league club by quite some margin.

[WAZZOCK]

Even if this person doesn't have a clue. I see no reason to not believe it.

Good logic

[Greatwesternline]

Even if this person doesn't have a clue. I see no reason to not believe it.

Good logic

My thinking was completely independent of this person's story. I have no basis in fact of what i think. But i think it far more likely that our owners would want to sell than not sell.

If someone who thinks they will stay can explain why they would stay i'd love to hear.

[bobby1413]

Reading Fans: our ground is poo. No pubs, just a characterless industrial estate.

<ambitious Thais rescue the club and clear debts. They get involved with fans with chairman sitting in Y25 with a shirt on>

<they suggest an amazing plan to help the town/boost economy/tourism/business and put us on the map more. It will make a match days far less bleak as there will be stuff going on nearby>

Reading Fans: they will be gone as soon as they do this. No interest in club. They only bought us for the nearby land ... (even if that is true... so what?!!! They're business people. I doubt they sat in thailand and thought "let's spend a fck load of money and make this football club that obviously like books a premier league outfit")

...

You honestly couldn't make up some of this utter dross.