As a point of clarification as I understand it the lease on the Stadium for both Clubs is a 50 year one (2052). It is however, up for an interim review after 25 years (2027), I believe the management of the Stadium and setting of user agreements was signed over to the SMC in total as part of the original deal. In exchange for every aspect of its running, maintenance and charges to the clubs being in the gift of the SMC the council handed over full control and therefore rid themselves of any liabilities that would come about in future years when having to maintain an aging stadium.

The Stadium maintenance is therefore solely down to the SMC, as stated its fallen behind and it really does needs millions spending on it.

As for buying it, The Council indicated in the heady days of the Allam's that they would sell the Stadium to them (or anyone else) at market value, but not give it away with the adjoining land as the A's wanted. To give it away would anyway be against local Government law, as it was built using the authorities capital assets and therefore public money.

I firmly believe as well that there were concrete plans (all be in in the very early stages) at one time to build our own stadium (Birds Eye was a silly rumour but this was on another West Hull site) but the capital costs just didn't stack up and so that has long since been abandoned.

Don’t worry Wilf, when I win that 167m Friday night, I’ll build us one. 25m on stadium 5m should see Pearson of and will all be mine

Thanks for the clarification Wilf, no doubt the SMC is a sticking point for anyone buying Hull City if that [ihas[/i to be part of any deal.

Fair point.

Well I'm not sure about all that and how it works going forward, because although it has always been part of the deal that the owners of Hull City sell it on, (perhaps as a sweetener in the deal), it is perhaps not a mandatory element of it. There is talk about the Allams wanting to sell City but possibly retain the SMC and act as landlord to both Clubs. Whether that is rumour and whether they can pull that off remains to be seen.

The other worry (for what its worth) is that to protect the Club and to help cut costs there is a clause, its reported, that should we drop out of 'the premier tier of the game' (Super League) then the club can renegotiate its deal with the SMC this was put in as an act of good will by Hull City Council when they handed the SMC over to the then owner of Hull City (Adam Pearson). However negotiations go both ways and with the personalities involved and the 'previous' that has gone on that now becomes a massive worry if we ever get relegated. Thus perhaps this is a major contributing factor to Adams recent comments that our Club could not survive relegation.

But on the subject of this thread We need our own Stadium be it the KCom or a new build but the practicalities make that scenario most unlikely! Rovers want to buy their ground so that they can borrow against it and good for them but circumstances dictate that its hard to envisage that ever happening for us.

… or to put it another way, clubs who do own their own grounds have a financial advantage, something that has been argued many times before.

It's an odd one, depends what it will cost them, (KR), to buy the ground (and land) I guess. FC will never have our own ground (unless one of us wins the lottery).

The KC was a great asset, until The Allams got involved and didn't bother with the upkeep of the KC, but I blame the Council for failiure of due diligence, look at the gate fiasco where the Council just captitulated.

Quite agree there

Was that the redevelopment of Costello? Heard some plans got drawn up, quotes requested for various elements such as electrics etc

Due diligence was done; they had the money that’s why they own it. It’s not the council’s fault they turned out to be the egotistical s they are. And as to the gate fiasco the council had no legal argument in regard to the gate. They don’t own the access. It’s those cockwobblers again.

Due diligence should have taken the form of bi-annual inspection of the fabric of the building, a detailed maintenance schedule for a public asset, the Council had every argument against the gate.

If you want a ground i believe the RFL now have one for sale.