Reply from my councillor (3 Viewers)

[Sky Blue Pete]

Sent an email asking if the council would advise acl to offer free rent for the season while all other issues are discussed and agreed. They didn't reply straight away but I eventually received a reply last night.

Has to be mediation between the parties to resolve this stand off. Agree with the sorry mess but don't agree that just because CCfc may reject the offer of free rent in the interim that it's not worth offering

Anyway my email and the reply

Dear Pete,

Thanks for your e-mail.

As you say I am keen football supporter and have been deeply saddened by the events of the last few months. It is not a badge of honour for Coventry to be the largest conurbation in the England not to have a football league side playing within it.

As you will know from previous discussions and items in the updates I do see blame on all sides, in particular those Cllrs and CFFC officials who pushed the 2003 deal without being clear what it would mean for the club, but would say the recent behaviour of the Football club has left a lot to be desired. In most cases the individuals concerned in 2003 have now moved on, with the new leadership at the council hopefully bringing more sense to the situation after previous opportunities were wasted over last 18 months.

On the rent and Ricoh front even if “free” I suspect another excuse would be found for not taking up that offer. Given the losses SISU will face from the switch to Northampton I find it very hard to believe that it is the sum of paying £400,000K rent that is the real stumbling block here. I tried to enquire about whether a very neutral, but respected figure, could be brought into to try and talk to the two sides. It turned out they had already been rebuffed. Am not naming in hope that something could bring them in and if so they cannot be seen as “Someone a Cllr wanted”.

I hope this brings some sense of what is going on, the saddest part of all is that fans who literally bleed Sky Blue have been the last thing on the mind of the various accountants, lawyers and spin doctors who have been involved in helping create this sorry mess.

Best Wishes,

]
Sent: 26 August 2013 20:02
To:
Sunday 25th August 2013

Councillor

I know you are a keen supporter of football and have asked appropriate questions in the past during the ownership of sisu.

I think it is now time to be urge those who are making the decisions and advising acl to make an offer of free rent of the Ricoh for this season.

It could be on a no condition basis while all other issues were discussed and resolved.

The club cannot wait as there are perhaps months until this current stand off leads to the liquidation of our city's club

Thanks

Pete

 

---

[smileycov]

That is a shocking email from a so called councillor!!! IF Real?

 

[dongonzalos]

Pretty much sums things up.

Amazes me that there is still the odd person out there, who can't see that even rent free would be rejected.

SISU need to see the Ricoh empty to force a purchase of ACL on the cheap.

They believe the loses of their one year ( I would guess in their estimates) at Northampton will be worth it. In comparison to the sale value of a club combined with ACL up for sale whilst in the top half of the championship.

They will not build a new stadium
It is not about expensive rent.

 

[bigfatronssba]

Can you give us a clue which councillor that is??

I pretty much agree with what he has said, what I would like to see however is the council call sisu's bluff and offer the Ricoh rent free for a year.

I dont for a second think they would accept, but it would well and truly show sisu for what they are.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

What the Councilor is saying " we are not even going to bother trying to negotiate" -- why the bloody hell not !! ? Grrrrrrrrrrr

 

[skybluesam66]

the other option is that anybody here can stand for council in may - VOR?

 

[Warwickhunt]

the other option is that anybody here can stand for council in may - VOR?

They are £45 million short in their accounts and they can only get that by having the stadium and club together to which they will sell to anyone who will give them the money. End of!!

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Can you give us a clue which councillor that is??

I pretty much agree with what he has said, what I would like to see however is the council call sisu's bluff and offer the Ricoh rent free for a year.

I dont for a second think they would accept, but it would well and truly show sisu for what they are.

Me too my friend

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

the other option is that anybody here can stand for council in may - VOR?

If I lived in Coventry I would !!!!

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Vor-the problem with my councillors is they are in the minority on the council and so cannot force the party in power to act. That's why I hoped they would reply and ask pertinent questions of those people in power locally.

 

[dongonzalos]

Can't blame them really

The rent is too much?

Yes.

Ok 650?

No 200 or nothing

Ok 400?

No we need access to F & B

Ok 400 and 80% of F & B, we can't give the other bit it is not ours to give?

No we are off to Northampton where we will earn dramatically less than what you are offering us for 5 years. We will then spend thirty million building a new stadium in a city that doesn't need it.

No one is that crazy ( wow you actually are)
Didn't see that coming ok.

150 k sliding scale depending on league and attendances. Rent will be comparable in each division and 80% F&B. oh and drop that JR that the high court judge pretty much pathetic as it is costing us money.

Nah we are off to Northampton anyway.

Sorry VOR I agree with your councillor

ACL is either to be sold to SISU at an acceptable price.

Or

ACL goes bust SISU pick it up for a song.

Or

ACL need to find an alternative for the Ricoh.

Rent is irrelevant
.

 

[Grendel]

Can't blame them really

The rent is too much?

Yes.

Ok 650?

No 200 or nothing

Ok 400?

No we need access to F & B

Ok 400 and 80% of F & B, we can't give the other bit it is not ours to give?

No we are off to Northampton where we will earn dramatically less than what you are offering us for 5 years. We will then spend thirty million building a new stadium in a city that doesn't need it.

No one is that crazy ( wow you actually are)
Didn't see that coming ok.

150 k sliding scale depending on league and attendances. Rent will be comparable in each division and 80% F&B. oh and drop that JR that the high court judge pretty much pathetic as it is costing us money.

Nah we are off to Northampton anyway.

Sorry VOR I agree with your councillor

ACL is either to be sold to SISU at an acceptable price.

Or

ACL goes bust SISU pick it up for a song.

Or

ACL need to find an alternative for the Ricoh.

Rent is irrelevant
.

Why not just offer it rent free then - what's to lose.

 

[dongonzalos]

They needed the rent saga

To ensure they could get and keep the FL on board.

Without it they would struggle to justify the move.

With it they see in their eyes an opportunity to bring ACL to its knees

 

[Grendel]

They needed the rent saga

To ensure they could get and keep the FL on board.

Without it they would struggle to justify the move.

With it they see in their eyes an opportunity to bring ACL to its knees

 

[WiganSkyBlue]

What the Councilor is saying " we are not even going to bother trying to negotiate" -- why the bloody hell not !! ? Grrrrrrrrrrr

Don't think that's what was said at all :thinking about:

" ........... I tried to enquire about whether a very neutral, but respected figure, could be brought into to try and talk to the two sides. It turned out they had already been rebuffed. Am not naming in hope that something could bring them in and if so they cannot be seen as “Someone a Cllr wanted”."

 

[dongonzalos]

It would be interesting if ACL did announce prelim art discussion with a genuine feasible alternative.

Then I have a feeling CCFC returning to the Ricoh would be some what quicker. .....

 

[torchomatic]

"literally bleed Sky Blue"? Thank Christ he's not a doctor!

 

[Jack Griffin]

A short term free deal is really pointless.

It seems to be saying in that response that CCC/ACL tried to get a mediator in to agree something with SISU/OTIUM, but SISU/OTIUM won't negotiate.

I tried to enquire about whether a very neutral, but respected figure, could be brought into to try and talk to the two sides. It turned out they had already been rebuffed.

Well there you go.. its all or nothing .. and that is Joy's strategy.

 

[Godiva]

A short term free deal is really pointless.

It seems to be saying in that response that CCC/ACL tried to get a mediator in to agree something with SISU/OTIUM, but SISU/OTIUM won't negotiate.


Well there you go.. its all or nothing .. and that is Joy's strategy.

It really comes down to what do sisu/Otium/ccfc actually want and what is ACL/CCc prepared to make a deal on.
If sisu want ACL and if CCc only want to talk lease and matchday revenue - then there is no point in calling in a mediator or even get together around a table.

I would like to think CCc knows full well what sisu want - and if they do not want to sell, then they should say so.
But then again - CCc is not one person with one opinion which is probably the reason nothing much seem to happen.

 

[skybluetony176]

It really comes down to what do sisu/Otium/ccfc actually want and what is ACL/CCc prepared to make a deal on.
If sisu want ACL and if CCc only want to talk lease and matchday revenue - then there is no point in calling in a mediator or even get together around a table.

I would like to think CCc knows full well what sisu want - and if they do not want to sell, then they should say so.
But then again - CCc is not one person with one opinion which is probably the reason nothing much seem to happen.

i wish shitsu would put a rent offer on the table including food and beverages if that's really that important and at the same time put their offer to buy the ricoh with or without acl and even an offer just for acl and do this publicly.

if they did this acl/ccc/Higgins could either accept or turn them down with a counter offer, again publicly.

i suspect the reason shitsu haven't done this is because we would all have to join that judge in his big belly laugh and they would loose this so called credibility they seem to hold with the FL. but i would love them to prove me wrong and make their offers/valuation publicly. they love making statements so why not do this and at least put some cards on the table.

 

[blend]

Everyone wants CCFC back in Cov apart from Otium. The longer the club stays out of the city the better their negotiating edge gets. This can be there only strategy. The won't negotiate until we reach the bottom of ACL's business cycle. They haven't been interested in any negotiations since ACL's finance restructure.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

My councillor has further replied to say the following:

Dear Pete,

My understanding is that talks have hit a bit of a stalemate with CCFC moving away to Northampton.

ACL is actively working on options to find alternative uses but a lot will depend on whether CCFC do follow through with an alternative stadium.

Sad to note that today saw the sky blues post their lowest ever home league match attendance with less than 1,800 present. As you said in your e-mail there can surely only be so long this can go on for.

Best wishes,

Doesn't sound like ccc are currently actively attempting anything but defending themselves in the judicial review unfortunately