Bates' intentions?

[Aussie Snoddy]

Now, i'm not an anti-Bates. Considering he saved us from liquidation we should all be thankfull.. http://www.thesquareball.net/leeds-unit ... -pictures/ but what are his real intentions?

[MaccaMJ]

Well Bates isn't in the business of losing money. I think he is trying to increase the potential revenue streams coming into the club. Looking at some of the pictures its obvious he has big plans and i think it can only serve to increase the amount of money we have sat in the transfer kitty.

[ldj90]

all looks very exciting to me! obviously looking to develop the long term future of the football club! nothing wrong with that imo!

why on earth is the hotel to be called 'The White House' though?? he ain't the fekkin president of the USA!!

[yorkshiremackem]

looks like it will be "new stadium". after being in teh stadium of light in best part of offices/boxes it will look like a new stand. i just wonder how many seats we are loosing?

[revieboy]

Some good pictures of the proposed stadium development. TBH the hotel and stand from the outside doesnt look very inspiring, is this the final design because its pretty ugly if so, in my view it looks like a sixties office block and the rest of the stand looks a mish mash. This is an opportunity to change the face of the stadium and is something that will remain for years so surely it needs to be more iconic?

From the inside it looks good but in terms of aesthetics i think they need to employ a different designer. They need to design the stand with the view that if they do expand development to other sides of the stadium that it actually has some character. Well thats my view anyway.

[MikeLUFC7]

looks like it will be "new stadium". after being in teh stadium of light in best part of offices/boxes it will look like a new stand. i just wonder how many seats we are loosing?

I think if we lose any seats in that stand, then they will be then made up in another stand if the other redevelopment takes place. As they were on about making the kop and west stand two tier to approximately the same height as the east stand. So that would add to the capacity if we lost any in the east - of course pending those two developments actually taking place.

But overall those pictures look ok. Not sure about the hotel part, but I guess it will be different when seen in the flesh.

[CardiffWhite]

I like the look of the East Stand as it is now. Some might think it is ugly, but I like the size of it and I think it looks very imposing which is a good effect. I like the way the words Leeds United and the shield are centrally positioned. This makes it look symmetrical and strong. I like that it is the main part of the stadium - it's like the front. I think that's better than having something all the way around e.g. compare the old Wembley with it's towers to the new Wembley.

The new plans make it look like a dull office-block and the shield is tucked away in an obscured looking location. I don't like it! Maybe the West Stand will be spruced up eventually and that can act as the 'front' of the stadium.

[joluafc4eva]

I like the look of the East Stand as it is now. Some might think it is ugly, but I like the size of it and I think it looks very imposing which is a good effect. I like the way the words Leeds United and the shield are centrally positioned. This makes it look symmetrical and strong. I like that it is the main part of the stadium - it's like the front. I think that's better than having something all the way around e.g. compare the old Wembley with it's towers to the new Wembley.

The new plans make it look like a dull office-block and the shield is tucked away in an obscured looking location. I don't like it! Maybe the West Stand will be spruced up eventually and that can act as the 'front' of the stadium.

+1

[Armleywhite]

Might be nice if invested in the playing squad. Whats the point of a mediocre team playing in the lobby of a hotel. Oh, I forgot, there is no one worth a freebie who wants to come to LUAFC. Did someone metion he is the messiah?

FFS!!!

[Aussie Snoddy]

We don't need a hotel, I'd like to see more money put into the squad instead of a hotel. Even if he built a hotel, how much would go to the club, and how long would it take to have made a profit on it?

[JACKtheKNIGHT]

All very nice but i cant see Billys statue on the pictures where will it be moved too or will it be replaced at all?

[wiilko]

Bates is too old to want to screw the club for money. In his mind he wants to build a dynasty & his ego still drives him forward. He probably envisages ER as a football ground encircled by commercial enterprises which in his mind will generate income for the club.

Unfortunately he is unable to obtain sufficient capital to fulfill his ideas. Most of us would see that the priority should be purchasing ER & TA but Bates has a different agenda. IMO he does not want to sell the club as he sees LUFC as his last commercial enterprise. I am also sure that his greatest wish is to see us back in the PL where he can mix with his old mates.

At nearly 80 years of age what does an extra few £m mean to him? If he was serious about selling the club he would at least ensure that we owned the ground.

IMO Bates as no intention of selling the club in his lifetime and whether we like it or not, unfortunately, he's not going to go soon.

Even if we owned ER & TA, Bates would not sell. He is the owner of a gigantic football club destined for the Premiership.

Would any of us sell up in his position?

We might do but what if we were 79 years of age with £17m in the bank living as a tax exile in Monaco.