You're not being objective.
As a Blade I love the lane and wouldn't want to play anywhere else, least of all Hillsborough.
However, objectively, it is bigger and is still a pretty good ground when compared to some shitholes or identikit new stadiums which I hate. It wouldn't take a ridiculous amount of time or investment to make it pretty impressive.
So in terms of capacity and potential that is why I said the ground would be a possibility. But only if all emotion and history was taken out of it as per the OP's instruction.
And even then I'd probably stick with the Lane but it eould be the only other factor after league position I would have to think about.
I don't think you realise what sort of investment it would take to get it anywhere near Bramall Lane's standard.
They have one stand with facilities such as restaurants and boxes in it. I've seen the boxes and I've seen the restaurant's. They are nowhere near Bramall Lane's standards, even more so after last summers revamp of our facilities.
We have more restaurants and corporate facilities and they are in two stands. Our ground is in a central location for functions etc. we have an onsite hotel.
The concourses in their north and west stand are compact and outdated, the toilets disgusting.
Only one of our stands (the kop) has restricted views. Only one (I think) of theirs has unrestricted. I believe but may be wrong even their best stand the South has poles supporting the roof towards the rear.
Their West Stand should have been knocked down years ago. It's not changed since the disaster, apart from seats being put in it. It's an absolute disgrace.
Our ground on the inside and outside (bar the outside of the kop) looks modern, clean and vibrant. Theirs simply doesn't and looks very dull inside and out. Look at theirs on the telly and tell me you think that looks good?
The atmosphere is dead, the reason being it's about 10,000 seats too big for them....no wonder.
They estimated for their pie in the sky redevelopment a total cost of £20m odd.
That was to virtually rebuild 3 sides of their ground. Not sure where Strafford plucked that figure from but McCabe said the extension to our South stand was £20m odd on its own. Btw he personally guaranteed the funds for that if our wc bid had been successful. Lord knows where Strafford thought the money was coming from but I'd take a guess he was hoping for a bailout from the FA to spare both their blushes.
Their new owners won't IMO waste their money redeveloping that dump. It'd cost far too much and would really require demolishing and starting from scratch.
They'll be looking at a new build, one of those identikit stadiums those over on Porktalk are so fond of pulling to pieces.