Is this not unfair state subsidy??

[Mr Popodopolous]

How can a Council especially when local authorities are not exactly flush do this...anyone??

If it's a loan with interest that's different but...seems very very wrong to me, assume it's not some grand pledge to win some votes which will be forgotten about.

Welsh Government grant for the £25m and the rest funded via a partnership involving varied bodies.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

Well okay seems it's Welsh Government having re-read but what a cheek either way.

[Midred]

Are Rovers negotiating to buy their old stand?

[WarksRobin]

Ban them from the English Football League

[Calculus]

Can't really see a problem here - there's already a number council owned/funded stadia. Wrexham has staged Wales matches over the years, and am sure could be described a the biggest stadium in North Wales. Maybe the locals think that the investment will bring business and jobs into the town - probably correctly. Good luck to 'em.

[WarksRobin]

13 minutes ago, Calculus said:

Can't really see a problem here - there's already a number council owned/funded stadia. Wrexham has staged Wales matches over the years, and am sure could be described a the biggest stadium in North Wales. Maybe the locals think that the investment will bring business and jobs into the town - probably correctly. Good luck to 'em.

At a time where councils complain their budgets are stretched and they need to increase council tax and cut services, is it right to be handing cash to a private business with demonstrably wealthy owners?

[richwwtk]

10 minutes ago, WarksRobin said:

At a time where councils complain their budgets are stretched and they need to increase council tax and cut services, is it right to be handing cash to a private business with demonstrably wealthy owners?

So long as it is done openly, honestly and legally then I don't see an issue.

It would be up to the electorate to decide if they like it or not.

[Calculus]

9 minutes ago, WarksRobin said:

At a time where councils complain their budgets are stretched and they need to increase council tax and cut services, is it right to be handing cash to a private business with demonstrably wealthy owners?

Quick answer: yes. the investment will bring jobs in the construction itself, more visitors, more jobs in leisure. All in all, a bit of growth in an area that very much needs it.

(As an aside, I would add that the many local councils that I've had dealings with over the years have been fantastically incompetent and wasteful. I'm not saying they don't face difficult problems but running things properly would be a decent start. Don't know many folk who think Bristol City Council is well run. Anyhoo, that's a whole different thread).

[Mr Popodopolous]

I suppose it could bring in some kind of medium to long term benefit, Cost-benefit analysis is a factor.

Could the council get some sort of stake in the success too maybe. Councils do have to raise more of their own revenue these days, changes across the last 10-15 years probably but £25m on one stand as far as public money goes seems exorbitant on the face of it.

[italian dave]

42 minutes ago, WarksRobin said:

At a time where councils complain their budgets are stretched and they need to increase council tax and cut services, is it right to be handing cash to a private business with demonstrably wealthy owners?

If it’s coming from a Welsh government grant then it’s not going to be money that could otherwise be spent on either reducing council tax or on other local services. Same as if it had been the levelling up money from the UK government which was also applied for. 

[1960maaan]

The population of Wrexham is about 130,000. Wrexham attendances around 10,000.

There will be a lot of people struggling with Council Tax among other things that have no interest in Football, they would be rightly pissed off at funding the Football Club which is owned by a multi millionaire . Add in Reynolds made a reported £22m for Deadpool , I would be more than slightly miffed.
If you were wondering, Rob McElhenney  has a net worth of $50 million.

Imagine if R*vers or us were given a massive input of Council money and not the other, that's how non football fans would feel.

[Baba Yaga]

I don't think the entire 25m is for the new stand, sounds like it's for other things too, also the funding is not completely from the Welsh gov?

https://news.wrexham.gov.uk/councillors-consider-new-package-to-finance-key-parts-of-wrexham-gateway-project-including-new-kop/

To be fair if it means hosting international games in North Wales again then the gov could chuck a bit a few million at improving the stand and it wouldn't hurt.

[Kingswood Robin]

Why don't we try it?

Use some money from the council to buy some better players, our league position improves, crowds go up, more money is spent in the local area. That's before we even consider the mental health benefits. 

[Banjo Island]

Surprised marvin aint followed suit and pledged millions for the blue fews fruit bowl dream

[CyderInACan]

42 minutes ago, Calculus said:

Don't know many folk who think Bristol City Council is well run. Anyhoo, that's a whole different thread).

Someone actually runs Bristol City Council? I had always thought it was just made up as they went along? It's always seemed that way . . . 

[Super]

I guarantee this ends up in the Politics section! 

 

[Hxj]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Welsh Government grant for the £25m

This is all part of a massive redevelopment of a terribly run down place (i've been there recently, but not to the football).  Will bring massive improvements to the railway station, surrounding area and the football club.

To me just the sort of project the state should be investing in, unlike HS2, Cross-Rail, London Underground, The London Stadium, rebuild of Houses of Parliament, rebuild of Buckingham Palace etc etc etc

[Port Said Red]

3 minutes ago, Banjo Island said:

Surprised marvin aint followed suit and pledged millions for the blue fews fruit bowl dream

Well they seem to think they will be getting some sort of help, even if it's only for surrounding infrastructure. I think that Wrexham only having one team helps with justification and as others have said, drawing International games and maybe other big events into the area makes it a sensible investment.

[Port Said Red]

2 minutes ago, Hxj said:

This is all part of a massive redevelopment of a terribly run down place (i've been there recently, but not to the football).  Will bring massive improvements to the railway station, surrounding area and the football club.

To me just the sort of project the state should be investing in, unlike HS2, Cross-Rail, London Underground, The London Stadium, rebuild of Houses of Parliament, rebuild of Buckingham Palace etc etc etc

I am not sure about that particular one, having worked at the House of Lords offices a little way down the road, I think the refurb will pay for itself if it means they no longer have to pay the incredible rents on those buildings.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 minutes ago, Hxj said:

This is all part of a massive redevelopment of a terribly run down place (i've been there recently, but not to the football).  Will bring massive improvements to the railway station, surrounding area and the football club.

To me just the sort of project the state should be investing in, unlike HS2, Cross-Rail, London Underground, The London Stadium, rebuild of Houses of Parliament, rebuild of Buckingham Palace etc etc etc

Interesting thanks. Suppose bringing up areas of deprivation is important and isn't the best wording by me but I imagine Wrexham and the surrounding areas has its difficulties. That could be positive but ROI?

Yeah London seems to get an absolute metric ton of investment doesn't it

[Hxj]

4 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I am not sure about that particular one, having worked at the House of Lords offices a little way down the road, I think the refurb will pay for itself if it means they no longer have to pay the incredible rents on those buildings.

I would pull it all down and rebuild new for a fraction of the price.

[Simon bristol]

Im sure none of the counsellors who approved this are interested in hobnobbing with ryan reynolds, going to partys, having pics taken maybe even appearing on the disney documentary or anything like that?

[Oh Louie louie]

Too many big clubs close by, to make it pay.weekly, agree with Simon knowing local councils showbiz's rubbed off, you don't see many chairman having selfies with players tbf, screams publicity 

 

[Port Said Red]

15 minutes ago, Hxj said:

I would pull it all down and rebuild new for a fraction of the price.

That's a very American attitude to what is an iconic building.

[Hxj]

27 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

That's a very American attitude to what is an iconic building.

New buildings can be iconic too

I heard it was full of rats - and not just the politicians

[SecretSam]

Councils can invest in social infrastructure. It's their money, eg pension pots. All sorts of things are funded by LA funding. If the football club have to pay the Council a return, or it creates local jobs, etc etc.

It'd be a really interesting business case.

[SecretSam]

59 minutes ago, Hxj said:

This is all part of a massive redevelopment of a terribly run down place (i've been there recently, but not to the football).  Will bring massive improvements to the railway station, surrounding area and the football club.

To me just the sort of project the state should be investing in, unlike HS2, Cross-Rail, London Underground, The London Stadium, rebuild of Houses of Parliament, rebuild of Buckingham Palace etc etc etc

There's huge social value associated with infrastructure investment - local jobs in construction, supply chain, hospitality (workers have to live/eat/socialise somewhere), wider multiplier value from increased spending in the local area, etc etc 

[Oh Louie louie]

As regards to the racecourse hosting wales games, maybe one meaningless friendly a year, Swansea don't take much business of the millennium do they, 

[Port Said Red]

43 minutes ago, Hxj said:

New buildings can be iconic too

I heard it was full of rats - and not just the politicians

Everything within a mile of the Thames has rats, any new building would be the same.

[Kid in the Riot]

Swansea Council invested £27m to build the Liberty Stadium too.

At least they look after their football clubs in Wales.