The Mail Bag
Build it and they will come
Comments (13)
I`ve just been reading about the latest Keioc proposals, redeveloping GP, building the 1887 hotel etc etc... all good interesting stuff, but what really caught my eye was the proposal for a "Footy quarter" to celebrate England's most successful football city.
I think it's a terrific idea. Some of us may not want to share a ground, but would anyone object to sharing the profits?
Like these guys or loathe them, they have come up with more ideas in a year than our board have in a decade.
Dave Wilson, Posted 17/02/2010 at 03:09:35
Comments
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
To be honest, the area deserves something like that, but are the Liverpool City Council going to help?
Last time I looked the area they were wanting to build this on is a park.
Also, what would be the point of a hotel at Goodison, who would want to stay in Walton!
Also, what would be the point of a hotel at Goodison, who would want to stay in Walton!
Not many poeple Chris, I stay in Walkton simply because my hom,e is there, I certainly wouldn’t stay in a Hotel near County Road, that’s for sure!
The Walton Hilton is already there.....
66 Hornby Road L9
En suite rooms, gym (members only) and full size footy pitch at the back
Surely we dont need 2 hotels in the area???!!!!!
66 Hornby Road L9
En suite rooms, gym (members only) and full size footy pitch at the back
Surely we dont need 2 hotels in the area???!!!!!
Chris I would stay there as when I managed to get to home games I travel from Essex. Its always a pain after the game walking back into the city trying to flag down a cab. Would be much easier to just stay a bit nearer.
Not sure how many are like me but I think there would be a few.
Not sure how many are like me but I think there would be a few.
Me too Dave. The whole idea is to turn it around and give the area some appeal. No one would stay there now, but if they include bars, restaurants, cinema etc etc in the plans, then people would happily stay.
I could imagine a hotel tower in the corner between Park & Bullens with exclusive rooms overlooking the pitch.
I could imagine a hotel tower in the corner between Park & Bullens with exclusive rooms overlooking the pitch.
I have got to echo Chris Briddon’s comment "What would be the point of a hotel at Goodison, who would want to stay in Walton!"
Who is going to fill this hotel when there is no matches on during the week or the close season? I can't see many people visiting Liverpool and deciding to stay in a hotel in Walton when there is any number of nice hotels in the city centre. Also it has been stated that a large chunk of the Everton fans who attend home matches on a regular basis live within a relatively close proximity to the ground so what use would these people have with a hotel by the ground?
Also, people have mentiond bars, restaurants and cinemas etc. Who is going to pay for all of this?
Who is going to fill this hotel when there is no matches on during the week or the close season? I can't see many people visiting Liverpool and deciding to stay in a hotel in Walton when there is any number of nice hotels in the city centre. Also it has been stated that a large chunk of the Everton fans who attend home matches on a regular basis live within a relatively close proximity to the ground so what use would these people have with a hotel by the ground?
Also, people have mentiond bars, restaurants and cinemas etc. Who is going to pay for all of this?
I think the question of who would stay at a hotel in Walton is a good one. In fact (as I see it) it’s key to this whole idea.
The socio-economic character of the area around Goodison and Anfield is a major problem as it severely limits the type and scale of any ’enabling’ development which might provide money for a ground redevelopment either at Goodison or Anfield.
The genius of this idea is twofold:
1. The ’Football Quarter’ is envisaged partly as an economic regeneration scheme for the area. If (and yes, it is a big IF) the city centre can be extended northwards through the Project Jennifer area to a new cultural, leisure, sports and academic ’hotspot’, the character of the locality can be improved. If this can stimulate private business investment in the area, the income from any enabling development associated with stadium redevelopment (including a hotel) can be multiplied.
2. Secondly, the Football Quarter itself can be a revenue generator for both clubs and the city. Simply increasing the visitor numbers to this part of Liverpool (and creating an extra reason for outsiders to visit the city itself) provides extra prospective customers, both for matches and non-matchday income like conferences or club shops/museums.
In short, we’re in the wrong location to attract any significant enabling funding, but (since King’s Dock) we’re not in a position to acquire land in a location which would generate that funding.
KEIOC have come up with an alternative - stay where we are and change the location at the same time. On the face of it, their plans are ambitious, but at least they’re looking to change the game in Everton’s favour rather than play somebody else’s game where the third party reaps all the advantage.
The socio-economic character of the area around Goodison and Anfield is a major problem as it severely limits the type and scale of any ’enabling’ development which might provide money for a ground redevelopment either at Goodison or Anfield.
The genius of this idea is twofold:
1. The ’Football Quarter’ is envisaged partly as an economic regeneration scheme for the area. If (and yes, it is a big IF) the city centre can be extended northwards through the Project Jennifer area to a new cultural, leisure, sports and academic ’hotspot’, the character of the locality can be improved. If this can stimulate private business investment in the area, the income from any enabling development associated with stadium redevelopment (including a hotel) can be multiplied.
2. Secondly, the Football Quarter itself can be a revenue generator for both clubs and the city. Simply increasing the visitor numbers to this part of Liverpool (and creating an extra reason for outsiders to visit the city itself) provides extra prospective customers, both for matches and non-matchday income like conferences or club shops/museums.
In short, we’re in the wrong location to attract any significant enabling funding, but (since King’s Dock) we’re not in a position to acquire land in a location which would generate that funding.
KEIOC have come up with an alternative - stay where we are and change the location at the same time. On the face of it, their plans are ambitious, but at least they’re looking to change the game in Everton’s favour rather than play somebody else’s game where the third party reaps all the advantage.
Totally agree Dave.
It’s so fashionable to be negative and knock people instead of building on the idea like James.
Who would have gone to Croxteth (apart from Rooney) before they built the cinema complex, Mcdonalds and all. (sorry anyone from Crocky).
Who would have wanted to go near the Albert Dock before it was all developed.
It’s so fashionable to be negative and knock people instead of building on the idea like James.
Who would have gone to Croxteth (apart from Rooney) before they built the cinema complex, Mcdonalds and all. (sorry anyone from Crocky).
Who would have wanted to go near the Albert Dock before it was all developed.
Like Dave Whitwell, I too would stay there whenever I visit Merseyside.
I travel from Norway to Liverpool once or twice a year, and rather than getting myself back to the city after a game I’d rather just stay in Walton for the night.
A room overlooking the pitch, I’l have that! Any time of the year, be it close-season or not.
Not sure how many of us there are. A high proportion of fans live near the ground, but I’d imagine there’s quite a substantial number of travelling fans as well. Be that Ireland, Wales, London or whereever.
I travel from Norway to Liverpool once or twice a year, and rather than getting myself back to the city after a game I’d rather just stay in Walton for the night.
A room overlooking the pitch, I’l have that! Any time of the year, be it close-season or not.
Not sure how many of us there are. A high proportion of fans live near the ground, but I’d imagine there’s quite a substantial number of travelling fans as well. Be that Ireland, Wales, London or whereever.
I remember an article that was posted a couple months ago on the topic of stadium issues. In that article, the author (i forget who it was) made a reference to a "football Disneyland" across Stanley Park. I believe the comment was sarcastic but here we sit actually discussing the possibility.
I live in the US and I’m planning on taking a trip to Goodison next fall so I think I can provide some insight on the ideas. If I were to go, I would stay in London for however long I was there, traveling to Merseyide for the game. The cheapest flights go in to London and there is just more to do there. If there was a "Football Quarter" and a hotel overlooking Goodison, my plans would definitely change. It would turn the City of Liverpool into, not only a football town, but a tourist destination. Tourists=money. I’m sure there are other football fanatics, whether they are traveling for business or pleasure, who would love to stay in an Everton hotel and enjoy a Football Quarter in Liverpool.
I live in the US and I’m planning on taking a trip to Goodison next fall so I think I can provide some insight on the ideas. If I were to go, I would stay in London for however long I was there, traveling to Merseyide for the game. The cheapest flights go in to London and there is just more to do there. If there was a "Football Quarter" and a hotel overlooking Goodison, my plans would definitely change. It would turn the City of Liverpool into, not only a football town, but a tourist destination. Tourists=money. I’m sure there are other football fanatics, whether they are traveling for business or pleasure, who would love to stay in an Everton hotel and enjoy a Football Quarter in Liverpool.
The Council, The Board, Men of Vision...Yeah right.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.
© ToffeeWeb
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
-sm.jpg)
1 Posted 17/02/2010 at 13:37:04
Report abuse