George Street-Bridge wrote: May 18th, 2022, 9:56 am it's been said many times, but the reality is short of a strings-free gift not far short of eight figures we would never own our own ground. We'd be in hock to a commercial lender answerable only to shareholders. And even if we were gifted it, from day one we'd have to fight off the urge to mortgage it.

Taunton Iron Cider wrote: May 18th, 2022, 9:31 am Isn’t it a League requirement to have at least a 10 year tenure, against which we currently have one year left at best?
With the unsettling news about the potential demise of the Dragons, I would be very surprised, not to say disappointed, if the Board were not already giving this issue the priority it deserves. Unfortunately for us communication remains as poor as ever.

CathedralCounty wrote: May 18th, 2022, 9:32 am My feeling is having our 'own' ground is as much a blessing as a curse - for clubs like [say] Harrogate, Sutton or Solihull (if they come up which we all hope they do!) who have organically built up from small beginnings albeit more compact and limited facilities its a different concept (not least because those traditional 'non league' [now league] clubs I feel they will never generate as big as crowds as we potentially could) but for us and our weird and wonderful travails and history my view is I'd rather rent - but off whom is the question? No doubt I'd rather be paying Newport Council (likely via leisure trust?) than the WRU - BUT do not really want that yoke of a hulking half full and frankly - 1 stand and one newish terrace apart (North terraced could do with a roof?!) - a somewhat dilapidated stadium albeit in a great location - after some teething troubles we seem to have hit a point where we rub along OK with Dragons and relations seem to be as good as they have ever been - there have been casualties and I do feel for Newport RFC a little but overall I see RP as 'home'...

So...we are not hampered by renting [off whoever] as having our own stadium means we are solely responsible for upkeep which can drag clubs down - BUT as others have said we need security of tenure which I feel we have now but in the medium to longer term perhaps not - all possibilities need exploring - including as back up a refurbished Newport stadium (which we could buy tomorrow but obv covenants would mean we'd need to retain athletics track and ultimately fund a new one elsewhere which can cost a lot - Newport Harries/Lliswerry runners [athletics clubs who currently use that venue] as well as Welsh Athletics - would rightly want guarantees on that) but by far favoured option is to stay at RP for the next several decades and work together with whoever might own/rent it along with us to gradually improve - ultimately within the next 15-20 years a new 6-8000 capacity stadium on the RP site/elsewhere [if RP retain Bisley and build new stand on other 3 sides retraining at least 1 terrace - similar to Burton's or Fleetwood's grounds] for County and the senior [regional or club] in the city to share which in a relatively small and economically challenged city makes sense for all parties

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 18th, 2022, 10:13 am

George Street-Bridge wrote: May 18th, 2022, 9:56 am it's been said many times, but the reality is short of a strings-free gift not far short of eight figures we would never own our own ground. We'd be in hock to a commercial lender answerable only to shareholders. And even if we were gifted it, from day one we'd have to fight off the urge to mortgage it.

George again you are failing to engage. Nobody is talking, certainly not me of Newport County owning Rodney Parade.

To be clear. Sometimes opportunities arise. And often they arise out of adversity. For me this is one such occasion. I have often stated that it makes good sense for Dragons and County to make common cause on groundshare. Until a week ago that was far more important for County than it was for Dragons.

That situation has now changed. The future of both clubs is under threat from the WRU. My belief is that the two clubs should work together to persuade NCC to purchase Rodney Parade. And then let the stadium out to both clubs. This as I have said, in addition to helping secure the future of both codes in Newport also enhances the name of our city and in the scheme of things does so at minimal cost.

So again George whilst I'm interested in your view on what I have said, I'm not really interested in your view of something I haven't said.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 18th, 2022, 11:09 am A number of points.

Firstly if we are to have a reasoned discussion it is probably best if needless insults such as those in your final paragraph are best left out don't you think?

Turning to the substantive part of your post you raise two main points. If I have understood you correctly yhey are as follows. Firstly that it is not likely that the WRU would sell and secondly that the local authority have other priorities. I think you are wrong.

You are correct that the WRU may have no interest in selling Rodney Parade. Although the WRU have expressed this is not the case and you have yourself pointed out the difficulties for the WRU selling the land for development. But that is a side issue. By way of analogy I walk into a bar. I set eyes upon the most beautiful woman. I walk over to her and ask her if I might have the pleasure of her company at dinner. Of course she might she might rebuff me. And if she does I dine alone. If I don't ask her, I dine alone. I've lost nothing have I? Then again this Venus made flesh might say yes. In terms my friend there is nothing wrong with asking for anything.

Your second limb is in my view utterly ill conceived. Of course there are other priorities, there always are. But follow through the logic. Are we never to spend money on entertainment? Schools, hospitals etc always need more money. Should local authorities close down every civic amenity and should the money saved by not having leisure centres all be put into health or education? To paraphrase W.H.Davies, a poor life this, if full of care, we have no court for a game of squash.
And of course your argument entirely misses the point of the revenues paid by way of rent, and the ancillary benefits that come with successful sporting teams.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 18th, 2022, 10:40 am

CathedralCounty wrote: May 18th, 2022, 9:32 am My feeling is having our 'own' ground is as much a blessing as a curse - for clubs like [say] Harrogate, Sutton or Solihull (if they come up which we all hope they do!) who have organically built up from small beginnings albeit more compact and limited facilities its a different concept (not least because those traditional 'non league' [now league] clubs I feel they will never generate as big as crowds as we potentially could) but for us and our weird and wonderful travails and history my view is I'd rather rent - but off whom is the question? No doubt I'd rather be paying Newport Council (likely via leisure trust?) than the WRU - BUT do not really want that yoke of a hulking half full and frankly - 1 stand and one newish terrace apart (North terraced could do with a roof?!) - a somewhat dilapidated stadium albeit in a great location - after some teething troubles we seem to have hit a point where we rub along OK with Dragons and relations seem to be as good as they have ever been - there have been casualties and I do feel for Newport RFC a little but overall I see RP as 'home'...

So...we are not hampered by renting [off whoever] as having our own stadium means we are solely responsible for upkeep which can drag clubs down - BUT as others have said we need security of tenure which I feel we have now but in the medium to longer term perhaps not - all possibilities need exploring - including as back up a refurbished Newport stadium (which we could buy tomorrow but obv covenants would mean we'd need to retain athletics track and ultimately fund a new one elsewhere which can cost a lot - Newport Harries/Lliswerry runners [athletics clubs who currently use that venue] as well as Welsh Athletics - would rightly want guarantees on that) but by far favoured option is to stay at RP for the next several decades and work together with whoever might own/rent it along with us to gradually improve - ultimately within the next 15-20 years a new 6-8000 capacity stadium on the RP site/elsewhere [if RP retain Bisley and build new stand on other 3 sides retraining at least 1 terrace - similar to Burton's or Fleetwood's grounds] for County and the senior [regional or club] in the city to share which in a relatively small and economically challenged city makes sense for all parties

The issue I am raising follows on from the post on another thread posted by Amberexile. An article about Stockport County in part dealt with how paying a huge rent to a private owner of Edgeley Park helped them towards bankruptcy whilst the stadium being bought by the local council helped in part their recovery.

There is an opportunity now to impress upon the local authority that it is the best interest the Dragons, Newport County and the city of Newport generally that Newport City Council buy Rodney Parade and guarantee it's future as a stadium fit for our great home town and the 21st century.

If we try we might fail. If we don't try we will fail. Sometimes things really are that simple.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 18th, 2022, 10:13 am So again George whilst I'm interested in your view on what I have said, I'm not really interested in your view of something I haven't said.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 18th, 2022, 1:19 pm Rather than have a sensible discussion once again George Street Bridge and Bangitinthenet decide that they would rather indulge themselves with puerile insults.

I do wish that just for once they would try to be constructive.

Bonson&Hunt wrote: May 18th, 2022, 2:15 pm My father used to say "If you don't ask, you don't get!"