Quote: FSW "Somewhere along the line there will have to be a compromise.
At the moment we haven't moved forward at all over the past 6 years and Cas in all reality are in the same position. There are two developers who will have to find £30+ million between them to build two stadiums and the Council is committed to £4million in contributions.
Glasshoughton may be ok for a stadium but will never have the community facilities which are promised to the people of Wakefield city & MDC. Newmarket has the capacity to deliver everything that is required. The likelihood is that neither ground will move forward in the next 5 years which leaves Trinity extinct and Cas in serious strife.
The compromise. Build a 20000 seater stadium at Newmarket along with all the promised community facilities to be funded jointly by the developers. The Council raises £30 million in "the City" in the same way Leeds Council have done for Headingley to allow development to commence immediately. Interest payments will be met from the Council's £4 million contribution so giving them an incentive to "encourage" Yorkcourt to make progress with their development.
If the interest payments are less than £4 million the council gains.
The Cas developer gains by having more land to develop.
Yorkcourt gain by having the opportunity to show they can behave in a civilised manner.
The clubs gain by being in a new stadium by 2019 season
The community gains the facilities it is desperate for.
Wakefield gains by retaining the community development work by Trinity
Cas gain by having a bigger, better stadium sooner.
The Community Trust would own the entire facilities with joint anchor tenants and between them they would establish a mechanism for funding maintenance and development of the site.
Everyone gains by avoiding court action.
Cas gain by retaining their equity in Wheldon Lane and by not suffering further delays whilst the Council fight a court battle.
MIchael Carter said that if he and Steve Gill had been in charge 10 years ago they would have a joint stadium by now.
There is still time.'"
The trouble with all the above is that it is a well thought out and grown up possible solution.
Unfortunately we have at the head of Wakefield Council a bullying unprofessional baby who has been left in his post for far too long. We don't have a prayer of sorting out a practical solution while ever his own personal agenda isn't called out for what it is by weak councillors that won't blow the whistle.
The sad thing is both Wakefield Trinity & Castleford Tigers will be the losers in all this just at a time when we have the foundations of a mutual respect at the helms of both clubs and performances on the field to make both sets of fans proud.
HTH
