Are GI Investing?

[Neal]

I posted on here what the business model will be, ages ago and I havnt changed my mind, not because I know from any contacts but just being logical.

Everything with the new development will be either franchised out OR leased out including the ground.

The "club" will own nothing!
The club will benefit financially from matchday hospitability.
From program sales
From matchday advertising
Half time draw
And probably one or 2 other things I cant think of now.

Ownership of the club, I reckon this is still not decided. It could be some local business men which would probably be the preferred option but it could also be a separate limited company with chairman but owned by the holding company.

The playing budget which is the most important thing will have to come from the income as stated above and the generosity of who ever owns "the club".

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS! What will be the terms of the lease! Whats your gut feeling, best guess as we stand today.

Less than we are paying the council today
The same
Or more

Mmmmmmm I can imaging the spin when the above is divulged. "Look we have a brand new stadium, the people of Torbay should be proud of it, use it and enjoy it. The new facilities are state of the art, safe for families, great transport links and will provide the people of Torbay some of the best facilities football and non football that you will find anywhere in the country. Yes it has cost more than expected, so we obviously have to command a rent to make this viable." 100K a year please

And THE CLUB will own sweet f all!!

[gullpower]

Thought I would post this from Kevin Foster's Weekly Update for others like me that don't do Facebook.

At least it offers some off the field security - although its not going to matter much if we don't start winning.

Perhaps Kevin Foster could have a word with Clarke Osborne and Geoff Harrop about how to sack and appoint managers?

Meeting With Clarke Osborne,

Today I met with Clarke Osborne, Chairman of Torquay United Football Club, to discuss his plans for the club, plus the concerns fans have raised about the future of Plainmoor.

During the meeting, that lasted just over an hour, a range of subjects were covered including plans for a new Academy, work to bring additional investors\commercial supporters into the club, his vision for where TUFC will be in five year's time, plans for a new stadium and, crucially, what his intentions were in relation to the Club acquiring the Freehold of Plainmoor Stadium.

Mr Osborne confirmed that it was no longer the Club's intention to seek the purchase of the Freehold at Plainmoor, other than as a part of a future deal that encompassed the building of a new stadium. When questioned he confirmed that the intention would be for the club to own any new stadium, with a view to non-matchday revenues being used to support the club overall.

This was a welcome discussion and I was pleased to be able to put some of the concerns raised by fans directly to Mr Osborne. His comments on the Freehold issue and on an Academy facility for TUFC were particularly welcome.

Plainmoor's Freehold cannot be considered separately to a binding plan to build a new stadium. Its ownership by the Council is intended to ensure there is a facility suitable for League Football here in the bay and protect it. Any deal to build a new stadium must be based on firm business plans, delivering a long term sustainable future for TUFC as a club playing in the football league.

[Yorkieandy]

'it was no longer the club's intention to seek the purchase of the freehold to Plainmoor, other than as part of a future deal that encompassed the building of a new stadium'.

So it's still the club's intention to purchase the freehold then?

Who buys all this sh*t?!

Scintillating and convincing plans for a new stadium will be drawn up and approved and even some preliminary work will be undertaken to hoodwink the council into believing that a new stadium is on it's way and so they sign over the freehold.

Then abrubtly the proposed new stadium development runs into problems and 10 years down the line still no new stadium.

I'm really hoping the council of Torbay are not this pig sh*t thick.

Get the new stadium built first, get it up and running and make sure everything from a legal perspective is watertight in favour of TUFC and THEN sign over the freehold. Common sense really.

Oops. Common sense? Council? There's no link there which is the worry.

[knightmaregull]

Nice of CO to deem us worthy as fans of being communicated with via our MP. This update tells us naff all, other than that GI are continuing their development focused master plan, in this case trying to get key people on side. Hopefully KF is now not also about to fall under their spell and believe the spin and false promises that continue to be all that flows from them.

Interesting CO has time to meet the MP but not the fans.

The fans and the football are mere inconveniences to GI and we continue to wait to see how long the former have football to even watch.