Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[Gordyola]

Makes me think back to those bleak thoughts when were at Wembley 2-0 down against Gillingham wondering how we could muster up the courage to go on again for another season. For 20 years between 1978 and 1998 it was incredibly difficult. 4 weekends after 5 ruined. Despair of relegation. Habitual humiliation in the FA Cup. Very little hope, just sheer bloody mindedness and somehow it's morphed into all this.

There used to be a radio presenter, when radio did really mean something, who used to call Manchester City God's own club. I've always thought this club and its supporters were special. And I am still very proud of our supporters. One of my favourite memories was the first game in the old Division 3 at Maine Rd. I think we played Blackpool and won 3-2. We'd been relegated the season before. Kinkladze had gone. We were at our lowest ebb. We'd always had the fans behind us, but these were the days before the Internet when the Pink, a snatched glance at the Manchester Evening news hoardings outside the newsagent, from the bus was finger on the pulse. Later came the Clubcall headlines on Teletext. You had no idea about ticket sales and whether this was going to be too much for City fans, so it was with huge pride that I took my seat on the Kippax and looked around that day at a full house at Maine Rd in the old 3rd division. We had survived. We'd not quite reached the bottom, but it wasn't far away.

I wonder where we're going next.

"God's own club" that will be Jimmy Wagg

 

[fbloke]

There's not doubt that the next phase of the ground development is imminent as Worsley and others have impeccable insight in that regard.

The wider developments seem to have stalled though, and those challenges are going to be far more difficult to overcome than the filling the extra seats.

I was lucky enough to get a tour around the CFA a while back and the quality of everything was incredible so when people talk about the poor finish and maintenance of the stadium it creates a confusing picture of where priorities lie.

I was blown away with the size and scale of the campus developments when I saw them a few years ago but now I wonder if the lack of infrastructure, and the sheer scope of what was in play back then has stumped ADUG. Have they bitten off more than they could chew?

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I spoke to my source last night who said it was happening and was a dumbed down version of the South stand. He was slightly dumb himself so i have had to interpret some of what he said myself. I get the distinct impression it is going to be two tiers build top down with a steeper rake of the family stand second tier joining the new tier being built above with no corporate boxes at that end at all.

so like this then ?. I'm hoping its not the same as the south stand, less corporate would be great and a stand with its own unique look would be good.

Wow, that looks brilliant, I actually got a flutter in the belly when I saw that pic!

Let's get the singing section away from being trapped between the away fans and the Colin Bell in that little tier in SSL1 and move to the front of the second tier in the North Stand.

We can finally have a proper vocal stand!

 

[HelloCity]

Don't think you will get the main shop and ticket office inside a stadium that is not accessible except on a match day?not sure 100,s of people marching along the concourse before games from the south stand and other tiers is the best idea ,a museum to visit on the stadium tour yes but shop and ticket office no

That's exactly the set up United have and their shop is a lot bigger than ours.

You wouldn't be able to get to the concourse because it would be its own walled off building housed within the front of the stand.

Not sure you're thinking along the right lines here.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

At the risk of being berated why would we extend the North Stand at the moment ? we need a full ground with atmosphere not loads of empty seats. We have Pep now so that would give us a bigger draw but shouldn't we do it organically when we have the need for it.

If any game ever sells out that means even more tickets could have been sold therefore the stadium wasn't big enough for that game. Even if that only happens half a dozen times a season, or it happens every game, it still means the capacity should be expanded for all the games that can sell more.

Look at the capacities of Madrid and Barcelona's grounds, look at their average attendances and look at their biggest gates. They have their capacities for the biggest gates not the average attendances (which are way down on the capacity).

Empty seats, or more room on a terrace, has always existed at all clubs from the start of football. It's only Rags in the last decade who seem to care about that and think it's something to ridicule.

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

That's exactly the set up United have and their shop is a lot bigger than ours.

You wouldn't be able to get to the concourse because it would be its own walled off building housed within the front of the stand.

Not sure you're thinking along the right lines here.

I thought the suggestion was to put the shop and ticket office in the space the expansion would create 2/3 tier as there was no corporate ?

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Apparently our bid has been discussed with the Government since before Gideon upped sticks and we waited until close to the time to make it public. It'll be very interesting to see how it pans out.

Expo 2015 in Milan had 22 million visitors, Expo 2010 in Shanghai had 73 million visitors, Expo 2005 in Nagoya had 22 million visitors... If it happens it will be the largest event the UK has ever hosted, so the transport network in East Manchester would need a decent transportation upgrade.

An underground would be ideal for our conurbation of what may approach 3m soon. There's currently too much transport on roads that can't support it.

 

[HelloCity]

I thought the suggestion was to put the shop and ticket office in the space the expansion would create 2/3 tier as there was no corporate ?
If not surly they couldn't go in level one as this wouldn't alter

There is space over 3 levels. This space can be walled off to create a 3 story building within the stand itself.

There is a lot of 'dead' space on level one of the new South Stand. Basically from the back wall of the original stand to the back wall of the new stand. They've used it to create a huge square to open up the concourse but no one ever uses it.

The store could be on level 1 & 2 including taking up room where the 93:20 bar would be and there could be a museum overlooking the pitch where the Legends Lounge is.

Think we have several ticket offices at the moment. The main one on the exterior of the North Stand, one in the 2nd floor of the club shop and a smaller match day one on the corner of the new South Stand. Will be interesting to see where the main ticket office ends up during re-development.

 

[DiscoSteve]

^^^^ all those potential spaces are on the pictures I posted up earlier in the thread

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

There is space over 3 levels. This space can be walled off to create a 3 story building within the stand itself.

There is a lot of 'dead' space on level one of the new South Stand. Basically from the back wall of the original stand to the back wall of the new stand. They've used it to create a huge square to open up the concourse but no one ever uses it.

The store could be on level 1 & 2 including taking up room where the 93:20 bar would be and there could be a museum overlooking the pitch where the Legends Lounge is.

Think we have several ticket offices at the moment. The main one on the exterior of the North Stand, one in the 2nd floor of the club shop and a smaller match day one on the corner of the new South Stand. Will be interesting to see where the main ticket office ends up during re-development.

Sorry not thinking straight for some reason got it in my head level one base wouldn't expand,doh.
In my defence haven't been in the south stand since its been done,must walk round next home game.