RUFC - New Ground On Schedule

Rotherham United Chairman, Tony Stewart, has told The Advertiser, that, although there are no drawings yet, the new stadium is on schedule.

'Everything is positive,' Mr Stewart said. 'We are having monthly stadium steering committee meetings and, along with two other colleagues of mine who are involved in football, I am putting in my suggestions. There's still many things to be decided but I envisage the stadium to be on the site of about seven acres. The general rule for cost is one million pounds for every one thousand spectators therefore if we are looking at a ten thousand capacity it will be around ten million pounds, a fifteen thousand capacity will be around fifteen million pounds. I see the cost being between fifteen and twenty million pounds. But, of course, that depends if we go the high spec route like Darlington or the low spec straight-out-of-the-box option. And, with the financial climate as it is at the moment there should be no shortage of takers wanting to do the work!

'This is going to be more than a sports stadium. We want to bring in community elements. The steering committee consists of different sectors and backgrounds and, as long as it doesn't detract from the primary function of being a sports stadium, then I am quite happy for them to put their twopennorth in.'

Mr Stewart says he has spoken to Doncaster Rovers, whose Keepmoat Stadium has been praised by football fans but has not worked out as a business venture, because he wants to learn by others' mistakes and he says the people at Chesterfield, who are in the throws of re-locating are sending him plans and drawings.

'We've got to look to the long game,' the Chairman said,'and, with the new stadium, there will be scope to extend the capacity in the future if we need to.'

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