Orientwesty- 2 of the Sidcup massive (the good looking ones ) booked into same Travelodge as you. Will be over our Jan detox by then and ready to party.

Paddock - I'm about to book for the Purdo dinner. Read your pm when you get a mo.

Friend and me going too. Staying at Salford Quays travellodge though - guessing it will be quiet round there so will probably end up going into town after the game.

Now that takes me back to my youth!

As for the new stadium, don't get back home as often as I like, hopefully that will change in 5/6 years time, but the ground actually looks pretty good. The three smaller stands don't look quite as out of place as they appeared on the arcitects design, but the main stand beats those at Warrington, Leigh and Widnes. Can't comment on Quins, but our main stand looks more impressive - dare I say it - than St Helens main stand.

So we have three smaller and not at all aesthetically pleasing stands, but compromises had to be made and the current layout was designed to help improve the Reds financial position. A local prestiege car company has already used the stadium, for a promotional event. That would never have happened at the Willows.

Doesn't the council own the stadium?

how are people getting there?

I'm taking my helicopter.

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Yes it is council owned! sadly they had to cut back on the superb plans first released, but it looks good especially the front, though as I said on another thread Salford need 8,000 each match to break even, on e good point it has not had roof damage like the Saints have had twice on their new stadium.

Any idea on the terms of their lease? Does the council take all additional revenue at other events staged etc?

Finding out details about The City of Salford Stadium is and has been difficult since the start, very controversially also recently they dropped the word "community" in the name as it is not available for use by the community as first stated.

The Stadium is owned 51% by Salford Council and 49% by Peel Holdings. The Council gave £22 million loan, plus the land valued at £6.7 million, North West Development Council also gave £4 million for ground remedation! residents could not understand why the loan was required when Peel are such a multi millionaire company. Initially it is a 12,000 stadium to be extended to 15,000 and the opportunity to go to 20,000. The Ground sponsor naming was due to go to Williams BMW the leading dealer in the NW but they withdrew late December.

Parking on site for over 600 cars and eight coaches
4,500 fully covered seating in the main West Stand
2,500 fully covered seating in the East Stand
2,500 fully covered standing in the North and South stands
Ten kiosks at concourse level
Fully licensed for sport and entertainment
The 122 x 86 metre fibre based grass pitch conforms to both codes of rugby and professional football
Fully automated pitch irrigation
Stadium conforms to Engage Superleague requirements
Matrix score board and time clock

Facilities in the main West Stand include:
A banqueting suite

A column free suite serving up to 750 seated
1200 metres square open space
Flexibility to divide into three suites catering for up to 400 per suite
Conference style capacity up to 930 persons
Full comfort cooling
Pitch side views
750 match day executive seating
Over four metres clear floor to ceiling height
High definition retractable projectors and TV ready
Changeable LED mood lighting
State of the art PA system
Automatic blackout blinds
Mobile LED dance floor

Facilities

Two public lifts to all floors for up to 13 persons
Two goods lifts
Three separate kitchens
WiFi provision

Executive boxes/function room

12 ten person executive boxes, with seating directly outside to view the pitch
Function room for 60 persons seated, with additional seating directly outside to view the pitch
Total capacity on level three is 180 persons
Comfort cooling is provided to executive boxes and the function room

Offices, reception and the shop

1000 metres square of community concession office space
1000 metres square for future fit out space
50 metres square of rugby club shop
Large modern reception entrance

Media facilities

TV gantry position directly above the executive boxes
Pressroom for 40 journalists

Sports Facilities

Full size floodlight 3G artificial pitch incorporating three 7-a-side pitches
Recreational grass pitch 118 metre x 86 metre which has the same playing area as the main pitch
Four changing rooms for community use

But Salford reds do they get anything apart from a shiny new ground to play in?

I thought they were getting a cut from the shopping centre being built on the same site and were going to be the richest club in SL - or have things moved on since then? I have been out of the country for a few months

Where are we going to park the other coaches

You're right about it close to the flyover, I went past the stadium on Saturday afternoon as they were warming up for the Leigh game, it literally is a short hop from the motorway