Workers at John Street/Bramall Lane corner (BEC)

[MobileBlade]

I’d love to see the enterprise centre pulled down and seating put there.

The hotel needs to be re-opened, it looks an eyesore at the moment. The delay is at our end, can’t understand what the problem is.

SYP spy sorry control room.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I thought the Prince got the enterprise centre as part of the deal. The only pieces he didn’t get were the two corners on Shoreham Street which McCabe somehow sneakily kept hold of to use as leverage.

That’s correct.

 

[Sean Thornton]

SYP spy sorry control room.

It’s where Mr Meadows office is these days.

 

[MobileBlade]

It’s where Mr Meadows office is these days.

Phase 5 Ill have you know

 

[Champagneblade]

I’m sure Bettis said the club were going to be using some of the office space. Not sure if there are any other tenants left. It was a poor idea by McCabe to build it there. Should have just had seating like the opposite Bramall Lane corner.

Hotel seems to have stalled due to the club not getting it ready for Hilton to fit out. Worrying as Hilton’s original press release said a Autumn 2021 opening, so they must be getting pissed off.

It’d be good to get an update from the club about these things (including training ground). Fans appreciate the landscape has changed due to covid and continues to be volatile, but not communicating updates to previously announced timelines which have now passed is poor form.

Would be nice to get an occasional update from Bettis on:
Hotel
Enterprise centre
Academy
Training Ground

He goes into hibernation more than Michael Buble. At least he gets thawed out at Christmas. We only ever hear from Bettis when we've sacked someone. His ability to update the fans is atrocious.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Would be nice to get an occasional update from Bettis on:
Hotel
Enterprise centre
Academy
Training Ground

He goes into hibernation more than Michael Buble. At least he gets thawed out at Christmas. We only ever hear from Bettis when we've sacked someone. His ability to update the fans is atrocious.

“We don’t have the funds. Sorry”

Exactly what do you expect to hear?

 

[Champagneblade]

“We don’t have the funds. Sorry”

Exactly what do you expect to hear?

I expect to hear what is happening with the Norton site and if it is a dead end that he’s doing more than just whistle dixie.

Updating on a hotel which was supposed to be occupied 6 months ago.

Nothing special, just what he’s actually paid for, to be a Chief Exec, communicate with the client base, not just retain his hide and seek Championship Trophy.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Installing mattress protectors for the seats of our esteemed bed wetting fraternity

 

[S64 Blade]

“We don’t have the funds. Sorry”

Exactly what do you expect to hear?

This would be fine, rather than being left in the dark.

Announcing a deal with a global hotelier and then missing the opening date by 6 months, with no current signs of progress, is poor.

The others are more forgivable given they’re more speculative.

 

[JJBlade]

I’d love to see the enterprise centre pulled down and seating put there.

The hotel needs to be re-opened, it looks an eyesore at the moment. The delay is at our end, can’t understand what the problem is.

Why?
It would only be dead seating anyway

Do you really think we are going to be allowed to sell seats within 20 yards of the oppo's fans ?

 

[S64 Blade]

Why?
It would only be dead seating anyway

Do you really think we are going to be allowed to sell seats within 20 yards of the oppo's fans ?

Have you moved your head to the left at games?

 

[Sean Thornton]

I expect to hear what is happening with the Norton site and if it is a dead end that he’s doing more than just whistle dixie.

Updating on a hotel which was supposed to be occupied 6 months ago.

Nothing special, just what he’s actually paid for, to be a Chief Exec, communicate with the client base, not just retain his hide and seek Championship Trophy.

But you are pretty much au fait with our financial position. You are probably fully aware of the answers you crave. There’s not much coming out of the Lane these days, l’d guess a decision made by the owner, rather than the CEO. Personally, l currently don’t give a monkeys about the hotel and enterprise centre. Basically money pits. I’m more interested in our fight for a play off place than anything else rather than having a pop about Bettis, who, remember, is only an employee.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Have you moved your head to the left at games?

For once, he’s right though.

 

[JJBlade]

Have you moved your head to the left at games?

Yes
Our fans are in different stands altogether than the away fans

And even then the seats closest to them are off limits and covered with netting,
Above the away fans on upper Bramall Lane stand the first five rows are off limits

So why would any new seats built in John Street/Bramall Lane corner be available for anybody to buy ?

 

[Sean Thornton]

This would be fine, rather than being left in the dark.

Announcing a deal with a global hotelier and then missing the opening date by 6 months, with no current signs of progress, is poor.

The others are more forgivable given they’re more speculative.

If we do have some funds, do you want them spending on a hotel that has never made any money and in fact lost over £10m?

 

[S64 Blade]

If we do have some funds, do you want them spending on a hotel that has never made any money and in fact lost over £10m?

It’s not a question of what I want. It’s the fact that the club has made this deal without seemingly not understanding the cost of making it happen.

If it was expensive to renovate it, why did we go out to tender for an operator?

 

[S64 Blade]

Yes
Our fans are in different stands altogether than the away fans

And even then the seats closest to them are off limits and covered with netting,
Above the away fans on upper Bramall Lane stand the first five rows are off limits

So why would any new seats built in John Street/Bramall Lane corner be available for anybody to buy ?

They’d be in a different stand if seats were put in in place of the Enterprise Centre. It could follow the same design as the Westfield corner.

For what it’s worth, I don’t actually think we’ll do this. It’s all hypothetical. The costs of knocking down the enterprise centre and rebuilding would madness for the benefit.

 

[Sean Thornton]

It’s not a question of what I want. It’s the fact that the club has made this deal without seemingly not understanding the cost of making it happen.

If it was expensive to renovate it, why did we go out to tender for an operator?

Prior to relegation, the business plan would no doubt have costed this in. In the real world, they are subject to change as reality changes. Remember the owner didn’t want the hotel in the first place.

Had we funded this and were in 17th place after selling players and sending MGW back in January there’d be a hell of a lot more wet beds!

Of course it would be expensive to renovate. It’s Hilton quality, not the Wicker Hotel.

But let’s blame just one man.

 

[S64 Blade]

Prior to relegation, the business plan would no doubt have costed this in. In the real world, they are subject to change as reality changes. Remember the owner didn’t want the hotel in the first place.

Had we funded this and were in 17th place after selling players and sending MGW back in January there’d be a hell of a lot more wet beds!

Of course it would be expensive to renovate. It’s Hilton quality, not the Wicker Hotel.

But let’s blame just one man.

The announcement of Hilton was made in June last year, way after our fate of relegation. It’d be a pretty poor business plan, if this hadn’t been considered before finalising any deal.

I’m not anti Bettis or Prince at all (I’ve even posted on the Bettis thread to stick up for him). There can still be a middle viewpoint in this ever increasing polarised world.

 

[Sean Thornton]

The announcement of Hilton was made in June last year, way after our fate of relegation. It’d be a pretty poor business plan, if this hadn’t been considered before finalising any deal.

I’m not anti Bettis or Prince at all (I’ve even posted that on Bettis thread to stick up for him). There can still be a middle viewpoint in this ever increasing polarised world.

The consultation began in 2020.

 

[S64 Blade]

The consultation began in 2020.

And? As you say, situations change. So if it was infeasible to continue in June 2021, why go ahead and sign a contract (presumably earlier in the month, just before the announcement)?

 

[Sean Thornton]

And? As you say, situations change. So if it was infeasible to continue in June 2021, why go ahead and sign a contract (presumably earlier in the month, just before the announcement)?

Who knows when the contract was signed? There could have been a binding agreement signed months before. Financing may have been withdrawn after on the pitch failure and significant loss of income. A previously loss making hotel needing an expensive refurb isn’t a great prospect for a finance company, especially how they are valued.

At the end of the day, we can ask why why why but we all know that we don’t appear to be able to fund the hotel or any infrastructure projects as things stand. Harping on about Bettis - not you - will not change that fact.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Just checked, there are two registered charges against the hotel from 2020, presumably additional security on the lending by Emirates Bank. The new hotel co has filed non trading accounts. So likely any funding would come out of the football budget.

 

[metalblade]

You would have thought we would be using the empty enterprise centre as the press/TV studio rather than the grey pre-fab on the kop. Who knows that may be what happens at some point.

 

[FredZeppelin]

Yes. The 2019 accounts - the last full year of trading - the business lost £1.5m. Accumulated losses at that year end were £10.5m.

Latterly, you could walk in most Saturday nights and get a room for £60. It had become a bit of a shag pad for random pick ups. No surprise Kev wanted shut and HRH didn’t want it.

Does that include the shag? And can you get a partial refund if you've finished by the time the lift stops and the room isn't needed?
Asking for a friend you'll understand.
utb

 

[S64 Blade]

Who knows when the contract was signed? There could have been a binding agreement signed months before. Financing may have been withdrawn after on the pitch failure and significant loss of income. A previously loss making hotel needing an expensive refurb isn’t a great prospect for a finance company, especially how they are valued.

At the end of the day, we can ask why why why but we all know that we don’t appear to be able to fund the hotel or any infrastructure projects as things stand. Harping on about Bettis - not you - will not change that fact.

Ok, so if financing has been withdrawn. Why not say so? It was only 4 months between it being announced and due to open. Presumably whoever was providing the capital for this, was well aware of the club’s incredibly high potential to drop a league/had been relegated and therefore the loss of revenue was known.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Ok, so if financing has been withdrawn. Why not say so? It was only 4 months between it being announced and due to open. Presumably whoever was providing the capital for this, was well aware of the club’s incredibly high potential to drop a league/had been relegated and therefore the loss of revenue was known.

Now you’re wanting to argue about a “maybe”. Well maybe a private limited company doesn’t want to wash its financial laundry in public.

 

[diplomat]

I thought the Prince got the enterprise centre as part of the deal. The only pieces he didn’t get were the two corners on Shoreham Street which McCabe somehow sneakily kept hold of to use as leverage.

Ah maybe - I wouldn’t rely on me! I just remember being told it wasn’t the club’s. That’s pre Prince takeover tho. I presumed because it was stolen by the McCabe’s that it wouldn’t have been part of a deal for the club.

 

[S64 Blade]

Now you’re wanting to argue about a “maybe”. Well maybe a private limited company doesn’t want to wash its financial laundry in public.

I think we will have to just agree to disagree on this one Sean!

 

[Bladedog]

We,d be better off turning hotel into apartments.