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Bulliac "Quote: Bulliac "I'm pretty sure the Superdome was conceived in the early/ mid 90's when there was bidding contest to build a new national stadium. I think Odsal and Birmingham were the bids outside London and the scheme was abandonned when, unsurprisingly, Wembley was chosen.
The failed scheme that led to the council settlement was the smaller, 25k, one that was part of the Tesco development that was refused planning permission.
That was why the club moved to VP for 2 years (01/02 seasons) whilst it was built but when it got knocked back the settlement was agreed but i can't remember how much for. Some of this was used to build the Southbank and the new floodlights etc and the rest was supposed to cover maintainence. We did ,however, make at least one expensive signing around this time.
As for the crowds; i seem to remember they dipped whilst at VP and then rose when we first returned to Odsal before the slow decline set in.'"
The initial redevelopment was set up before the 'National Stadium' iirc, Wembley was opened in 2007 so I think the planning was probably a bit later than mid or even late 90s. The original Odsal plan was sometime around 2000, the same time as the move to VP, which as you say was to facilitate the build, though I confess to sometimes being a bit hazy about dates..
It was after the initial plan was being considered that they decided to enter the fray for the national Stadium which probably suggests the Wembley bit was added after we went to VP, though why anyone thought that a National Stadium ever going to anywhere but Wembley is unbelievable, imo.
Spot on about VP, the crowds dwindled - which considering the teams we were putting out shows just how much many people disliked the idea. If fact, to bring it up to date, the fact that crowds dropped so much at a ground within the city does make me think that Dewsbury might not have been the best idea.'"
The decision on the national stadium was in 96. The old stadium held its last RL match in 99 (Challenge Cup final) before they took it on the road in 2000 in Edinburgh. Football was played in the old stadium until end 2000, then the process to demolish and rebuild began.
You are right in saying the Tesco scheme was late 90's and whilst we were at VP, the rebuild was to happen. Instead we got new floodlights one new stand and a lick of paint!!
My memory of the crowds at VP was that during year 1, when we were unbeaten at home, the crowds were not much lower than the previous year, but dipped in the 2nd year. But in 03 when we returned to Odsal crowds were strongly higher when we did the grand slam. 03 was our peak with decline starting from then to where we are today unfortunately
