Dear Lee
I am sorry for taking some time to respond to your recent email; the last few weeks have been extremely busy. As you can imagine I have had many emails about our decision to sell our shares in ACL to Wasps (some supporting and others against the decision we made in the Council meeting) and I am trying to reply to them all - but it is taking some time to work through my inbox.
Since you sent your email of course, we have been able to share much more information about the decision and our reasons for making it, and I hope this has helped you understand why both we and Wasps think it is the right way forward for ourselves, the Ricoh and the club itself. Being unable to discuss this publicly over the past month or so has been extremely frustrating, but we were bound by very strict commercial confidentiality and non-disclosure clauses which meant we were simply unable to talk in detail about the deal.
As you will be aware, the Council has always made it clear it would consider any serious and credible offers for its shares. There had been no approach from CCFC or SISU to purchase ACL despite the Council’s position, as stated in public, that it would listen to any realistic offers. The football club has made it clear its intention remains to build its own stadium.
This deal means the football club are in exactly the same position they were when they came back to the Ricoh on the two tear plus two year deal. They now have the opportunity to build a new relationship with new shareholders, this is a fresh start and a great opportunity to build bridges. Wasps see the club as an important player in making Ricoh Arena a world class stadium.
More than a third of clubs in the Football League do not own their own stadium – so the football club is by no means in a unique position.
I do know that some people also have concerns about this issue and the franchising of sport but over the last ten years Wasps have made no secret of their determination to find a permanent home. Moving to the Ricoh gives them financial stability and a solid foundation for world-class rugby to be played and enjoyed in world-class surroundings.
Doing nothing was not an option - Wasps had planning permission to build a stadium turned down twice by Wycombe District Council. I know that everyone involved at Wasps are acutely aware of how many of their fans feel about the move. I have been impressed with the Chief Executive Nick Eastwood and the owner Derek Richardson's commitment to support their fans through the next few months, and their ongoing commitment to build links with Coventry schools, sports clubs (particularly Coventry Rugby Club and Coventry City Football Club).
This is not a decision any Coventry councillor made lightly, and no councillor would have supported the proposal if they believed it would have an adverse impact on the football club, Coventry Rugby Club, or the future of sport in this city. I know that all councillors have appreciated hearing the views of people on this issue, and the questions and concerns they received from people before the decision was made in Council were fully explored in briefings with officers and Wasps before that meeting.
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with me and let me know how you feel; I do appreciate it.
Kind regards
Ann Lucas
Leader of Coventry City Council
I am sorry for taking some time to respond to your recent email; the last few weeks have been extremely busy. As you can imagine I have had many emails about our decision to sell our shares in ACL to Wasps (some supporting and others against the decision we made in the Council meeting) and I am trying to reply to them all - but it is taking some time to work through my inbox.
Since you sent your email of course, we have been able to share much more information about the decision and our reasons for making it, and I hope this has helped you understand why both we and Wasps think it is the right way forward for ourselves, the Ricoh and the club itself. Being unable to discuss this publicly over the past month or so has been extremely frustrating, but we were bound by very strict commercial confidentiality and non-disclosure clauses which meant we were simply unable to talk in detail about the deal.
As you will be aware, the Council has always made it clear it would consider any serious and credible offers for its shares. There had been no approach from CCFC or SISU to purchase ACL despite the Council’s position, as stated in public, that it would listen to any realistic offers. The football club has made it clear its intention remains to build its own stadium.
This deal means the football club are in exactly the same position they were when they came back to the Ricoh on the two tear plus two year deal. They now have the opportunity to build a new relationship with new shareholders, this is a fresh start and a great opportunity to build bridges. Wasps see the club as an important player in making Ricoh Arena a world class stadium.
More than a third of clubs in the Football League do not own their own stadium – so the football club is by no means in a unique position.
I do know that some people also have concerns about this issue and the franchising of sport but over the last ten years Wasps have made no secret of their determination to find a permanent home. Moving to the Ricoh gives them financial stability and a solid foundation for world-class rugby to be played and enjoyed in world-class surroundings.
Doing nothing was not an option - Wasps had planning permission to build a stadium turned down twice by Wycombe District Council. I know that everyone involved at Wasps are acutely aware of how many of their fans feel about the move. I have been impressed with the Chief Executive Nick Eastwood and the owner Derek Richardson's commitment to support their fans through the next few months, and their ongoing commitment to build links with Coventry schools, sports clubs (particularly Coventry Rugby Club and Coventry City Football Club).
This is not a decision any Coventry councillor made lightly, and no councillor would have supported the proposal if they believed it would have an adverse impact on the football club, Coventry Rugby Club, or the future of sport in this city. I know that all councillors have appreciated hearing the views of people on this issue, and the questions and concerns they received from people before the decision was made in Council were fully explored in briefings with officers and Wasps before that meeting.
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with me and let me know how you feel; I do appreciate it.
Kind regards
Ann Lucas
Leader of Coventry City Council
