Press News
Conservative's plan for council to buy Bootham Crescent slammed
10:13am Friday 10th February 2012
CALLS for City of York Council to consider buying York City FC’s Bootham Crescent ground have been criticised by the city’s athletics club.
The council’s Conservative opposition suggested a £4 million council allocation towards a planned Monks Cross ground for the Minstermen and York City Knights could be used to buy City’s existing home instead.
The party claimed the current plans may an “unacceptable financial risk” to taxpayers and said the money could be used to improve Bootham Crescent, while Huntington Stadium could be sold to fund replacement facilities for City of York Athletics Club.
But athletics club chairman Neil Hunter said: “The Conservative option, at face value, appears to increase the financial risk to the council in the medium to long-term and fails to grasp the opportunity for significant private sector investment in York.” He said it would fail to deliver a stadium and athletics facilities York could be proud of.
He said: “We are surprised by this development at a late stage.”
Council leader James Alexander said the council buying Bootham Crescent would be illegal and would threaten City’s future.
He said: “This proves the Conservatives are against a community stadium - they have presented a collection of unworkable solutions at the 11th hour.”
He said York City had confirmed the Tory suggestions “don’t stack up”.
Stadium project manager Tim Atkins said the Conservative ideas were considered among options in 2009/10, but were not taken forward for “financial and legal reasons”.