The latest news is all sounding positive. The only question I have is :

If we are skinter then a skint man from skintsville (nobleism), how are we going to be able to afford to pay rent to the Community Trust at the same time as presumably not having a full cut of the money generated by the on site outlets selling food and drink?

Not sure how much it costs us to run and maintain BV, so payment of rent may come from that, but how long is the rent likely to be fixed for? Leigh seem to have problems with LSV over exorbitant costs etc..
and therefore presume we are looking for some long term agreement at a fixed cost?

Thats a question thats need answering but i doubt anyone who posts on here can give you the details. I don't think for one minute this ground will solve all Wakeys problems but its a step we must take and at least it gives us hope for the future.

I can see it now in the Wakey Express " Stadium to let would suit professional sports team. Sorry no DSS" (so that rules out a Cas groundshare)

It's all been accounted for in the business plans for the club going forward and for the Trust as Landlords. There are plenty of potential tennants in discussion over use of the site and it all bodes very well for the scheme.

We would not agree to a level of rent which we could not afford.

Also, the idea of being tennant will hopefully lead to us being able to release any capital value raised from BV into the club to boost the squad and the infrastructure of the club - which will need to grow to sustain the increased size of the business!

There's no point the WDCT setting the figure for renting the stadium at a level which the anchor tenants would struggle to afford. It has to be a level which allows the club to grow as a business.

Part of the reason for the visit to the LSV was to establish the difficulties experienced with that development and not make the same errors.

And it still doesnt stop you talking out of it

Sounds good to me the stadium and it's facilities will benefit and be used by a alot of people for various activities and it all seems to be coming along nicely. I believe the community trust and Fran Stephenson have been in talks and visited a number of stadiums so that they can get the best of out this project

We visited others to prevent problems , didn't make any difference , your income will drop dramatically if you dont own your own stadium , fact

Although this could be offset with better attendances (hopefully) and not having to maintain a 130 year old stadium.

We're talking about a community trust set up by people with Wakefield Trinity at heart, not the local council. That's the difference buddy, do you really think a group set up to secure the future of our club would rob it blind?
The players, sponsors and fans will flock when we get this built. FACT.

You'll be more than welcome to come and experience it too matey!

That's the bit I'm not convinced about; despite the supposed draw of a new facility, I still think it's going to take a titanic effort on the part of the club to market the new experience sufficiently to attract new fans in large numbers.

I'm not saying it can't be done, but I think it's a mistake to be complacent in thinking that the stadium will do all the work; some slick, cohesive and professional marketing and PR work will be required.

As you say that's is the tricky part.

We have to market ourselves a lot better- every game needs to be a "diversity game"- if you get my drift.
TBH the one thing I'm most disappointed about is the fact we never pushed on consistently after the success of the diversity game.

However said that; the new facilities will help no end. But I think the increase in our "saleability" to a new owner will be the real key. I have no doubt that WTW in a new stadium, free from debt (if we use the remaining money from the sale of BV) would be a very attractive offer to a lot of ambitious businessmen. We need a sugar daddy and the stadium presents the perfect playground for such a type- even if they wouldn't own it.

Back atcha

It has to be backed up by success on the field, or at least the impression that we're moving forward with good players towards being a successful side. If we turn out for the season with a bunch of journeymen pros and the same "survival" mentality we've embraced for the last decade or so, any interest we manage to kindle will quickly disappear again, to the chorus of "same old Wakey".

The stadium would give us a fresh start and a new chance. We need to abandon the old mentality at the same time.

And with more money in their pocket they may start watching Trinity (short walk and all) so it's win win.

For me that means leaving the Richardson family behind. Ted should be thanked but like you said this is the rebirth of the club, it needs a steward to fit the time.

If and when we move I would hope for at least a period of stability just to get over the many hurdles we are bound to face. Ted may not be the guy to take us foreward but I would hope the club think long and hard before handing over to a new "owner" before or during the move.

I totally agree; the whole culture of the club needs a radical change and I don't think Ted and Co are the right people to do that. We desperately need a wealthy backer who can bring not just money, but a significant amount of business, marketing & PR expertise - bit of a Dragon's Den scenario. The current set-up is simply too amateurish and corner-shop like to deliver what's required; sad but true.

The Dragons Den crew wouldn’t touch us with a barge pole, they want to make money!

All the Sugar Daddy’s are in it because they are fans of their club, it costs them a small fortune.

We would need someone who wouldn’t miss a couple of million quid a year, and avidly supports Wakefield - He / She doesn’t exist.

I thought you might know a few high rollers in Filey with a few quid to spare

What ever you think about Ted and Co they are working to get us up to Newmarket. If they can do that they will have probably done as much if not more than anyone who has run our club for the past 130 + years. Ted and Co are also knocking on a bit and in fairness to them I don't think they want to hang on forever.Let them just to get us into Newmarket then make sure they hand over the club to someone else who is capable to take us forward from there.

I have it on good authority that every SL club makes a loss, so I'm not under any illusion that a wealthy benefactor who's prepared to operate the club as a vanity project is a tough ask. Maybe the stadium could solve that one too - we might be a more attractive prospect when we're bedded in at NM?

The community trust and Trinity will have a business plan just like anyone who will be using the stadium. It is for the use by anyone in the City and district and will have to be affordable for the tennents to use it