There is renewed optimism for the future of Nottingham Forest’s City Ground as the club and Nottingham City Council plan to hold crucial talks.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis will be contacted by Neghat Khan, the new leader of the city’s council, for critical discussions about the future of the City Ground. Khan aims to meet with Marinakis and chairman Tom Cartledge to resolve ongoing disputes and encourage the club to stay at their historic home.
The club and council have been at odds over rent and lease terms, with the council proposing to increase the annual rent from £250,000 to over £1 million. Additionally, the option for Forest to purchase the stadium’s freehold for £10 million has been available since the beginning of negotiations.
Khan, who succeeded David Mellen as council leader on May 20, believes that maintaining the club’s presence at the City Ground is crucial. She plans to engage directly with Forest’s leadership to address the issues and find a solution that honors the club’s history and fan sentiment. Khan stated, “There’s a lot of history at the City Ground. You can’t just move. You go to a new stadium, it doesn’t mean that history or that feeling, that atmosphere is there. We don’t want them to go, and the Forest fans don’t want them to go”.
David Mellen, the former council leader, emphasized Nottingham’s ambition and the community’s strong support for the club, especially during their recent promotion celebrations. He urged Marinakis to heed the fans’ desires to remain at the City Ground and expressed the council’s openness to further discussions about improving and expanding the stadium.
What Evangelos Marinakis has said
Nottingham Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, envisions a future where the club plays in a 50,000-seater stadium with state-of-the-art training facilities and an academy setup. He believes that such an upgrade will not only transform the team but also significantly benefit the region and its supporters. Marinakis acknowledges the difficulty of leaving the historic City Ground but argues that a larger, modern facility is crucial for generating the revenue needed for success on the pitch.
This ambitious plan, however, has sparked a debate among fans. Some support the move, seeing it as a necessary step for the club’s growth, while others are deeply attached to the City Ground and its rich history.
Nottingham-based architect Matt Drewitt offers an alternative solution to relocation. He has proposed a redevelopment of the current City Ground that would involve reorienting the pitch and rebuilding the stadium to increase its capacity while allowing the club to stay at its historic site. Drewitt’s designs aim to provide a middle ground that addresses the club’s need for modernization without abandoning its traditional home.
The club has identified a potential new site in Toton, several miles from Nottingham city centre, where they could build the new stadium and training facilities. This potential move has been met with mixed reactions, reflecting the broader debate within the fanbase about the best path forward for Nottingham Forest.
Background
Nottinghamshire County Council has confirmed that Nottingham Forest has approached them about potentially using land in Toton, initially designated for HS2, as an alternative stadium site. The Conservative-led council has signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with Forest, indicating its support for the club’s aspirations to develop new training and stadium infrastructure.
However, Councillor Ben Bradley, leader of the county council, clarified that the agreement does not specifically pertain to the Toton land. He emphasized that the council’s role is to collaborate with Forest to achieve the best outcomes for their investment and regional economic growth, and it is up to the club to decide their stadium plans. He expressed hope for successful discussions between Forest and the city council.
Regarding the potential move to Toton, Councillor Battlemuch, a long-time Forest fan, noted that the initial mention of Toton might have been seen as a negotiation tactic. The coming weeks could reveal more detailed plans or agreements with the County Council.
Tom Cartledge mentioned to Nottinghamshire Live that discussions with the city council have stalled, prompting Forest to engage with other councils in the county to explore available land and facilities for a potential move.
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