Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[west didsblue]

For those doubting I've been told that City are buying the athletics track. The price is based on turnover for a certain period, therefore it's currently being used for anything and everything hence trying to drive the price up. City will be providing a replacement. The source for this was involved on the athletics side.

What are City going to do with the athletics track?

 

[somapop]

For those doubting I've been told that City are buying the athletics track. The price is based on turnover for a certain period, therefore it's currently being used for anything and everything hence trying to drive the price up. City will be providing a replacement. The source for this was involved on the athletics side.

That athletics track is a bit 'sunday morning' in a all fairness. I half expect it to be 'reimagined' or moved elsewhere on the campus. With Sheffield's Don Valley no longer around, I wonder if a new mini athletics track stadium (matching the CFA and Stadium in quality) would be planned for the area...what about the indoor training track too? Build a combined training/meet track/mini stadium?

 

[somapop]

Cheers for those pics JRB. It's looking a right beautiful monster.

I like the interior shots of the Emirates: the vibe is a bit like watching a world cup match, the modernity and scale etc. However, the Emirates suffers the same problem as OT (although far less so) in that the white structural frame/supoorts spoils it somewhat. You can see it on this pic...not that far removed from the functional Reebok:

The Etihad won't have this issue and it's why, for me, it will become the best looking UK stadium (at least). Add the East and West extensions and it's game over.

 

[petrusha]

What are City going to do with the athletics track?

The Eastlands Regeneration Framework, published by the Council in March 2011, offered an outline of the priorities of, and actions to be taken by, the Council and MCFC in developing the area around the stadium. I believe this still broadly reflects what they want to do.

It suggested that the sports facilities to the west and north of the stadium might be relocated to somewhere near the Beswick Sports Hub, as long as development plans emerged that made it viable to pay for the relocation. The suggestion is that the "large flexible sites" created by relocating the athletics arena and other sports facilities would support "a wide range of high activity uses". The full text is set out below, and is taken from page 27 of the document, which can be downloaded here: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/4502/eastlands_regeneration_framework

NORTH AND WEST OF THE STADIUM AREA
Detailed proposals must protect the long-term expansion potential of the City of Manchester Stadium. The area to the west and north of the stadium presents commercial development opportunities, either for the Club itself or for third parties.

The canal and Metrolink line and station provide a distinct and attractive design and development opportunity, perhaps of smaller scale and texture than exists to the south and east at the ‘collar site’ or the potential sites to the west of the stadium.

To the north of the canal are large parking areas serving the sports facilities. Their redevelopment would require some degree of parking replacement, potentially in multistory car parks.

More significantly, development of the area is heavily influenced by the presence of gas holders and gas supply lines to the north and west of the parking lots. In the longer-term these facilities may be relocated, providing an excellent, highly visible opportunity for a range of commercial development activity.

The potential for substantial commercial development opportunities on sites currently occupied by low-density sports buildings such as the athletics arena and the squash and tennis centres should be explored. Provided commercially deliverable plans emerge that are capable of supporting the relocation of these facilities, the opportunity should also be explored to enhance the scale of the sports and community hub centered on Grey Mare Lane area of Beswick. The relocation of sports facilities would provide large flexible sites on the western side of the stadium for a wide range of high activity uses at Eastlands, while ensuring the re-located facilities benefit from improved accessibility and synergies with other community uses in the immediate vicinity.

 

[Oystercatcher28]

That athletics track is a bit 'sunday morning' in a all fairness. I half expect it to be 'reimagined' or moved elsewhere on the campus. With Sheffield's Don Valley no longer around, I wonder if a new mini athletics track stadium (matching the CFA and Stadium in quality) would be planned for the area...what about the indoor training track too? Build a combined training/meet track/mini stadium?

There's a small indoor track next door.
Athletics tracks are needed. For all aspects of the community.

 

[Mike N]

Really keen to see some pictures from inside the stadium. Surely someone has some up to date shots?

 

[sam-caddick]

As someone who has family interested in Athletic's and has history of using that Athletic's facility, is City buying it to replace it with something better, or are they buying it to knock it down?

Sale Harriers use that as their facility so I can't see the council allowing City to scrap it.

 

[petrusha]

As someone who has family interested in Athletic's and has history of using that Athletic's facility, is City buying it to replace it with something better, or are they buying it to knock it down?

Sale Harriers use that as their facility so I can't see the council allowing City to scrap it.

If you look at the document I cited, the idea is that the land occupied by the athletics stadium would have significant potential for commercial development. However, it's part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games and, IIRC, Sport England gave permission for it to be built using a surplus generated by the Games. It would only be knocked down if the person acquiring the site agreed to refund a replacement facility of at least comparable quality in the fairly near vicinity (the Beswick Hub having been spoken about previously as a possible site).

As somapop says, the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield no longer exists so there actually isn't a decent athletics stadium between Birmingham and Gateshead. Whether there's any possibility, if they build a new athletics venue, of making it a bit bigger and hoping to attract more prominent events, I've no idea. City wouldn't fund that, but maybe City's money could be supplemented with cash form other sources.

 

[sam-caddick]

If you look at the document I cited, the idea is that the land occupied by the athletics stadium would have significant potential for commercial development. However, it's part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games and, IIRC, Sport England gave permission for it to be built using a surplus generated by the Games. It would only be knocked down if the person acquiring the site agreed to refund a replacement facility of at least comparable quality in the fairly near vicinity (the Beswick Hub having been spoken about previously as a possible site).

As somapop says, the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield no longer exists so there actually isn't a decent athletics stadium between Birmingham and Gateshead. Whether there's any possibility, if they build a new athletics venue, of making it a bit bigger and hoping to attract more prominent events, I've no idea. City wouldn't fund that, but maybe City's money could be supplemented with cash form other sources.

Cheers mate.

 

[EricBrooksGhost]

What are City going to do with the athletics track?

Clearly for one thing only