Torquay United unveil huge plan for 10,000-seater stadium.

MF68 · Post by **MF68** » 25 Jul 2018, 13:47

Baegull

You are correct as has been outlined on here over and over.
Add Reading to the list and of course the Bristol Rovers debacle.

But still some on here cant see it and worse of all trust CO and GI to complete there promises and Herald Express to report the FULL story

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 25 Jul 2018, 14:02

I'm confused! What is being proposed?

1) a Stadium? or
2) a Arena?

Osborne's last statement informs us its a 'multi-event arena' which, of course, is more apt for what is really being proposed, as the key marketing word 'Stadium' would imply a place where football is played.

Devon Live informs us that one of GI’s most successful projects is the National Bowl at Milton Keynes. Really! I am afraid that a grass mount stage in open-air grassland with no seats does no fill me with confidence.

P.S. In 2006, Gaming International won a further lease based on proposals for major developments, but handed back the Bowl to Milton Keynes Partnership in 2010 – so yet again no GI plans were ever undertaken. – apart from a temporary structure built near the Bowl.

Jerry · Post by **Jerry** » 25 Jul 2018, 14:32

MellowYellow wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 14:02
Devon Live informs us that one of GI’s most successful projects is the National Bowl at Milton Keynes. Really! I am afraid that a grass mount stage in open-air grassland with no seats does no fill me with confidence.

It's an improvement on the Reading "stadium" that Devon Live trumpet as a GI success. It was bulldozed 10 years ago never to be replaced!

Rjc70 · Post by **Rjc70** » 25 Jul 2018, 15:41

Baegull wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 13:32 "One of GI’s most successful projects is the National Bowl at Milton Keynes which has a capacity of 65,000.

GI also operates stadia at Swindon, Poole and Reading"

...so did they build the National Bowl ? is there actually stadia to operate at Swindon and Pool . This is contrary to what I have seen on this forum. Could it be the HE are misinformed ? will we see a "Guy Henderson" trophy next (Ã‚£)

Reading has been rubble since 2008. Osborne mentioned a shiny new stadium quite a few times then disappeared off the scene there. The sport has not returned to the town.

Swindon still operates, but their new stadium has not happened, the old one remains, and it is surrounded by housing. Many are fearing a fate similar to Reading many years on from the first time a new stadium at Swindon first successfully got plannning permission, many years ago, for only housing to subsequently be built.

Interestingly, at Swindon, Osborne suggested in 2007 that they could groundshare at Reading for a year for the construction of their new stadia. Not sure how that might have panned out with Reading being demolished soon after on GI’s watch.

GI was not involved in building new stadia from scratch at either of Swindon or Poole.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 25 Jul 2018, 15:50

Lets delve a little deeper into GI's most successful project to date - the Milton Keynes Bowl:

Gaming International Limited were winning bidders, selected to re-develop and manage the Bowl.

The plan was to transform the concert venue by increasing current capacity, building a new greyhound stadium and constructing a pavilion for indoor events capable of holding 2,000 people.

"The opportunities to increase the range of uses are immeasurable," said the Director of Gaming International Ltd..."By bringing forward inward investment, it'll enable us to make the Bowl available to a whole range of organisations that just couldn't afford the set up costs. We'll be putting in between £15-£20 million pounds into the site."

The end result - the plan did not proceed.

So nothing new there then!

nwyellow · Post by **nwyellow** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:17

It doesn't change what we all reckon the outcome will be (and sorry if I missed it) doesn't Riviera Stadium Ltd own TUFC or at least 91%. So why GI are named again and why they could have any say on Plainmoor doesn't make sense. I know CO is behind both but it just makes my head hurt as I assume it is designed to

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:24

My guess would be "plans" for a mini identikit football ground and a large shed for the arena.

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:28

The whole thing reminds me of the monorail...

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__quiet__gull · Post by **__quiet__gull** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:31

nwyellow wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 16:17 It doesn't change what we all reckon the outcome will be (and sorry if I missed it) doesn't Riviera Stadium Ltd own TUFC or at least 91%. So why GI are named again and why they could have any say on Plainmoor doesn't make sense. I know CO is behind both but it just makes my head hurt as I assume it is designed to

So so true, GI as a company are nothing to to with TUFC, that is clear if you examine the hundreds of papers available if you have a companies house membership. GI let go in Sept 2017 and Osbourne was declared the sole Director at the same time.

The company is Riviera Stadium Limited, it is being funded, it would seem from Mr Osbourne and NOT as a GI offshoot. You only need to examine the shareholding. The GI directors would surely not just let Osbourne run with money that belongs to GI.

The more worrying thing for me is that whilst Osbourne may be financing the day-to-day at the club he is running up huge creditor debts. Last notification was £360,000 in debt. Cheers Mr Osbourne.... this has got administration written all over it!

If Osbourne walks then we have to repay the debt or face bankruptcy, if he stays we have to accept whatever the outcome of this property development may be. Let us hope that he sticks to his word of providing a base before we are chucked out of Plainmoor.

'Stuck between a rock and a hard place' - the saga continues!

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:47

There is one thing in all of this that is abundantly clear, ignore it at your peril. Osborne has NEVER seen anything built but housing.

nickbrod · Post by **nickbrod** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:51

Added to all these promises about a new arena/stadium we have the added confusion of Truro City's groundshare and the involvement, once again so close to home, of Peter Masters.
Somewhere there's a developing link between Torquay United, Truro City, Clarke Osborne and Peter Masters.

__quiet__gull · Post by **__quiet__gull** » 25 Jul 2018, 16:54

Southampton Gull wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 16:47 There is one thing in all of this that is abundantly clear, ignore it at your peril. Osborne has NEVER seen anything built but housing.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 25 Jul 2018, 17:18

nwyellow wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 16:17 It doesn't change what we all reckon the outcome will be (and sorry if I missed it) doesn't Riviera Stadium Ltd own TUFC or at least 91%. So why GI are named again and why they could have any say on Plainmoor doesn't make sense. I know CO is behind both but it just makes my head hurt as I assume it is designed to

Why are GI named again? Well firstly as the media - 'BBC' - 'Devon Live' etc announce our Club owner as 'Clarke Osborne of Gaming International' why change a habit of a lifetime and confuse the issue.

You are factually correct that the club 'ownership' has now gone from Gaming International (a subsidiary of Clarke Osborne owned Toklon) to the sole ownership of Clarke Osborne. It remains in the same hands but is highly likely now indebted to Gaming International who funded the operation up till the transfer to Riviera Stadium Ltd and may well still be funding it.

Now you have to ask yourself is Clarke Osborne going to take out £40m from his 'back pocket' to fund this new 'multi-event arena' ? I think not! Riviera Stadium balance sheet show as net assets (or cash in hand) £999. So just £39,999 million to find. So you may find he will source some funding from a property development investment company such as Gaming International (suprise -suprise) who's subsidiary companies is complex as it is bleak - a series of dissolved companies and dreadful credit ratings.

Sorry your 'head hurts' but dont be resigned to the fact Osborne will get his own way. You may be right, but there are many who are willing to stand up and be heard so that its not all 'one way traffic'. One must remember that the real momentum for freehold disposal comes, not from councillors; but the un-elected officers of the Torbay Development Agency and Osborne is well aware of that don't you worry! We need to be as well!

Tired Old Gull · Post by **Tired Old Gull** » 25 Jul 2018, 17:21

On Facebook Kevin Foster says Osborne has had dialogue with Mayor Gordon Oliver but not the Councillors.

Shades of Chris Roberts and Nick Bye here!

Richinns · Post by **Richinns** » 25 Jul 2018, 17:57

Tired Old Gull wrote: ↑25 Jul 2018, 17:21 On Facebook Kevin Foster says Osborne has had dialogue with Mayor Gordon Oliver but not the Councillors.

Shades of Chris Roberts and Nick Bye here!

Exactly. If all is above board why are these two doing all of this behind the Council and Councillors backs?

This whole thing reeks and the way Osborne is approaching it shows what a devious rat he is and Oliver is an absolute villian for going along with getting it this far without including anyone else in the process.

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