Rotherham United New Stadium
Rotherham United Football Club, who have been looking for a new ground since they parted company from Millmoor, have announced that their new community stadium will be built on the old Guest and Chrimes site as part of the new Rotherham Civic Quarter.This will be a community stadium, ie available for other uses, which it is estimated will cost about £20million. The planned stadium will have 12,000 seats, with an option for 4000 more. However the planned parking for the stadium and the new council offices which are to built on the same site is only about 500. Assuming that they are hoping to get large numbers of bums on seats it looks as if many fans will have to park a long, long, walk away - Masbrough maybe. The site was cleared in Autumn 2010 and planning permission was granted in November 2010.
In June 2011 it has been announced that the finance is in place to build the stadium. This includes a £5million loan from Rotherham Council, who in other respects are cash-strapped and making large cuts in services.
Club Chairman, Tony Stewart announced with great pride and pleasure:-
"This is an ideal site for our new home here in Rotherham. It will also provide significant regeneration benefits and leave a legacy for the future, for the club and the town. Rotherham MBC has played a pivotal role in this process, and we are very grateful for all their help and support. Our town needs a football club to be proud of playing in a stadium to be proud of providing facilities for our community to be proud of."
Initial drawings of the architect's plans for the new stadium have drawn various comments from the football fans in my family. "Boring" and "What a waste of £20million quid" being two of the ones clean enough to publish.
Guestbook entry from Miller's fan Mark July 2011:-
"Your review of the new stadium needs updating,the final design of the stadium is not boring,it is infact unique in this country,it will also be a town centre landmark for. many years ,and probably the kickstart the town centre needs. We need the multiplex cinema now!"
The development area is bring prepared in summer 2011. A lot of infill is being put down to raise the level of the site above the floodplain of the river. The outer skin in nearly complete in April 2012 and it is expected that the ground will be ready for the start of the 2012/3 season.