New Stadium Details And Discussions

[talkshowhost86]

This is what I have just posted to the club. It went on a lot longer than I was expecting and is surprisingly formal. But I think it covers most of my points having read the consultation.

Firstly many thanks for the level of information contained in the first consultation paper. It is very interesting to read about the plans and how the club hopes to benefit the area as well as the football club. I also appreciate the desire to get the fans opinions on this first consultation so am taking this opportunity to make a few comments about the plans.

I am delighted, as I'm sure almost every fan is, that the club are going to stay in the area they have been in for 126 years, however I do have some concerns about transport issues. As your plan rightly states there are a number of stations around the stadium but I do worry about their ability to deal with 60,000 people on a match day. White Hart Lane overground station for example is very small and gets very crowded before and after matches. Are there any plans to improve the station itself so that people can get in and out more quickly? This is particularly important because in the last year the running of the Victoria line on match days has been intermittent at best meaning people have to use the overground stations instead (particularly after the game when the buses don't run down the High Road for about half an hour). Further to this point will the club seek assurances from TFL that the underground will run more frequently on match days? The plans say that 90,000 people an hour can get to the stadium but this will be greatly reduced if both Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale underground stations are not available.

I was also pleased to see that the plans mean that we can stay at White Hart Lane for the duration of the building project rather than having to move to a temporary stadium whilst the new stadium is built. I see that in the third phase we will move into the new stadium whilst it is still not completely finished. Will this mean that for a season we will have a reduced capacity or will the club endeavour to at least equal the current capacity before moving into the new stadium?

One issue that I know is very important to many fans is the actual design of the new stadium. I realise that the shape in the plans is just a rough sketch however many fans are already concerned that the new stadium will be a bowl rather than the traditional four sided stadium. I understand that there are reasons why a bowl is a better option than the traditional design (health and safety and future expansion for example) but myself and many other fans believe that the current design does much to improve the atmosphere at White Hart Lane. One of the current plus points of White Hart Lane is that each stand has its own identity which creates a great atmosphere on match days and it would be good if this can be continued with the new design. I'm sure one of the complaints many people will have is that the Emirates Stadium has the bowl structure and there have been many complaints that this creates very little atmosphere at all. Similarly I hope that the plan to have 'an iconic design' means that the stadium will also be unique and not the same as any other recently built stadia.

Another complaint that has been levelled at the Emirates Stadium is the corporate nature of the new ground. Many fans there have been annoyed at the amount of seats saved for corporate events rather than for actual football fans and I hope this will not be the case with the new Spurs stadium. Of course I understand the need to bring in money to pay for this project but this should never be at the expense of the fans and I hope that the increased capacity will mean that as many people on the season ticket list as possible can get a season ticket in the new stadium. Similarly I realise that the new stadium's name will probably have to have an element of sponsorship in itself, but I believe that the football club's identity also needs to be included if possible.

Many thanks again for the first consultation and I look forward to any further information that is released following the closing of this first consultation period.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Well written TSH. Just on one of your points, they do actually say in the plans that in 'Phase 3' where we will be in the half finished stadium, that it will have a capacity in excess of the current stadium.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Well written TSH. Just on one of your points, they do actually say in the plans that in 'Phase 3' where we will be in the half finished stadium, that it will have a capacity in excess of the current stadium.

Ah...damn my inability to read!

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Ah...damn my inability to read!

Maybe they will be able to expand on the plans in that respect though and give some rough idea of what the stadium capacity would be in 'Phase 3'.

 

[Bobishism]

Would be really interested to know how much the acoustics are considered when designing the stadium. I know that certain opera houses for example have walls angled in certain ways and use of particular materials to improve the acoustics of the room and improve the sound transmission. I wonder if something similar could be done on a stadium to maximise the sound levels and transmit them all inwards. So even if we have only 60,000 people it would sound like 120,000 people.

It would seem pretty important as a fan to maximise the sound and the atmosphere inside the stadium, where as for structural engineers, architects etc. it may be more about getting the most seats in, while meeting all of the safety requirements and giving a good view to every seat (which of course are all necessary as well).

They supposedly did it at the emirates. And I wouldnt be surprised if we have the same guys involved.

 

[MattyP]

Good work TSH, will rep you in a bit.

Haven't had time to read the document yet, but in addition to your points, I will be raising

1. the need to retain the cockerel's on top of stadium (minor point maybe, but it's part of our history and should be retained, ala the Twin Towers) and
2. the point on trying to ensure the more vocal sections of the existing stadium (mainly the Shelf Side in the south east corner of WHL, though I suppose the Park Lane sometimes make some noise :razz are put together in the new stadium, so that we continue to generate the same atmosphere as we do currently. We must retain this in order for us not to become another soul-less bowl inhabitant.

 

[robin09]

They supposedly did it at the emirates. And I wouldnt be surprised if we have the same guys involved.

But by all accounts they got the acoustics back to front and made 60,000 sound like 30,000 at the emirates.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

They supposedly did it at the emirates. And I wouldnt be surprised if we have the same guys involved.

We should get some different guys in then. That place seems to sap atmosphere.

 

[Dougal]

Nice stuff tsh. Tops my effort.



Dear Spurs,

So how much is a pie and a pint gonna set me back in this new gaff?

Yours lovingly

Mr Dougal

 

[MattyP]

Nice stuff tsh. Tops my effort.



Dear Spurs,

So how much is a pie and a pint gonna set me back in this new gaff?

Yours lovingly

Mr Dougal

PS I want my seat to be in block 2, row 2, so that the TV camera's can film me each week, to boost my already legendary status on Spurscommunity. :lol:



One day I will stop taking the piss out of you Dougal. Maybe.

 

[Chimbo!]

the aerial view makes it look like the emirates and there has to be a significant difference between the stadiums or we are going to get pelted by the gooners and the stadium will become difficult to love and that would effect the atmosphere.

I hope its a tighter and more box styled inside with steep tiers to keep the character of white hart lane. The best stadium i have ever seen and the best atmosphere i have ever exeprienced was at Dortmund which is a really compact rectangular stadium with unbelievable noise retention. The sound echoes round the stadium and sounds like twice as many people are singing then there are in the ground. If the new whl can be like that then they would have achieved something. i really dont want a bowl.

 

[worcestersauce]

Just noticed the houses at the top of Worcester Avenue are not included in the designated area does this mean they will be left where they are or just that we don't actually own them yet and so can't include them?

 

[hepta]

cant wait to find out how they plan to build three quarters of a stadium, then finish the last bit a year later. seems like trying to build a house with a roof, but only three walls. would have thought that aspect could limit the possible design.....and would seem unsuited to a bowl type arena. definately glad we dont have to play anywhere else though

 

[ShelfSide18]

We should get some different guys in then. That place seems to sap atmosphere.

If you gave every arsenal fan a loudspeaker the place would still have no atmosphere!

Great letter TSH. Agree with everything you say.

I'd also like to know what happens with existing season ticket holders, do we get a choice of where we sit if we renew our ticket?

 

[Chris12345]

If you gave every arsenal fan a loudspeaker the place would still have no atmosphere!

Great letter TSH. Agree with everything you say.

I'd also like to know what happens with existing season ticket holders, do we get a choice of where we sit if we renew our ticket?

They NEED to encourage the Park Lane and south Shelf guys to stay together!

 

[camaj]

The only reason the people in the south are together now is because it's the cheapest place to sit. Those people will presumably go for the cheapest seats in the new stadium.

If you gave every arsenal fan a loudspeaker the place would still have no atmosphere!

Right! People need to stop criticising a "bowl". There's nothing wrong with it. We could do a proper rectangle stadium but you'd have to have much deeper stands so it'd be crap for anyone near the back

 

[llamafarmer]

Would be really interested to know how much the acoustics are considered when designing the stadium. I know that certain opera houses for example have walls angled in certain ways and use of particular materials to improve the acoustics of the room and improve the sound transmission. I wonder if something similar could be done on a stadium to maximise the sound levels and transmit them all inwards. So even if we have only 60,000 people it would sound like 120,000 people.

It would seem pretty important as a fan to maximise the sound and the atmosphere inside the stadium, where as for structural engineers, architects etc. it may be more about getting the most seats in, while meeting all of the safety requirements and giving a good view to every seat (which of course are all necessary as well).

I think acoustic engineering in concert halls etc is pretty common now and supposedly they did it at Wembley too. I heard they got the calculations wrong to start with and had to redo it all, but that may just be a rumour :lol:

 

[Max_Junglie]

I'd also like to know what happens with existing season ticket holders, do we get a choice of where we sit if we renew our ticket?

I know a few Goon ST holders and when they moved the club held a number of open days at which ST holders were able to go and choose their seats - this was when it was nearly finished, in the summer before they moved in. They were invited to go along on certain dates so everyone didn't turn up at once. I imagine we'd do much the same, can't see them just transferring ST's to an 'equivalent' seat.

No reason why a bowl can't have a great atmosphere - if 60,000 people stand in a field and cheer and shout the atmosphere will be pretty electric! Atmosphere is created by the crowd not the building.

 

[Kendall]

The only reason the people in the south are together now is because it's the cheapest place to sit. Those people will presumably go for the cheapest seats in the new stadium.



Right! People need to stop criticising a "bowl". There's nothing wrong with it. We could do a proper rectangle stadium but you'd have to have much deeper stands so it'd be crap for anyone near the back

Most bowls are shit though. The allianz arena has a good mix. 60K capacity, steep stands, close to the pitch and a proper 'lid' roof to keep the atmosphere in.

Floating rooves like the emirates and COMS don't help contain the noise level and atmosphere, plus the stands aren't steep so often those at the back are miles away.

 

[Kendall]

On a side note, City kept all the hardcore season ticket holders at maine road together in the COMS