FiRTHYY
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Who own's Bradford's ground and training ground?
This is seen as a bit of sticking point for investment at Cheltenham. Our ground is owned by the council, but we pay them a peppercorn rent and have a lease of nigh on 100 years, so are not at any risk of losing it. If not owning the ground is an issue, that tells me you're looking for the wrong investors (surely they only want to own the ground for potential development?). Of course, if the rent is to a schyster then I'd get it (like Oxford and Kassam for example).
We do own our training ground though, having purchased it last year.
Ground is owned by our ex-chairmen, Gordon Gibbs - he owns Flamingo Land. We were circa £36m in debt in 2004, so we needed a cash injection. We sold the ground and Club superstore (which was the largest club superstore in Europe at the time) to Gibbs Pension Fund. We signed a 25-year lease to continue playing there, which costs us around £500k per season.
Training ground is owned by Woodhouse Grove School (Private School). Some of our fans just can’t get past the fact we train here, but the facilities are very good. I have a relative who attends school here, so I’d like to think I know a-bit more than the average fan.
We’re in the process of buying our ground back, which will come at a cost of circa £5m. When Rupp is able to do this, he won’t receive and credit for it from some fans and they’ll still maintain he isn’t interested in football and hates owning Bradford City AFC.