Coventry City FC confirms Butts Park Arena ground share talks with Coventry RFC

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The Sky Blues said the club would keep supporters informed of future developments



Coventry City has confirmed talks about a possible ground share arrangement with Coventry RFC at Butts Park Arena.

The club released an official statement after the Telegraph broke the news this morning that architects have produced designs which would allow the 3,000-seater stadium to be expanded to about 15,000 seats.

Coventry RFC chairman Jon Sharp told the Telegraph this morning about how the plans could be financed and his belief that planning challenges could be overcome.

But he also insisted the talks were at very early stages and that no solid plans had been made, something underlined by CCFC in their statement.

The statement from Coventry City FC reads: “Coventry City FC can confirm that long dated talks have been held with the Butts Park Arena and Coventry Rugby Club on a future ground share deal.

“Whilst the club still has two years left on the current deal with the Ricoh Arena, it is important that the club continues to work towards securing its long-term future.

“Coventry City FC are committed to competing at the highest possible level.

"For the club to continue to progress, it is essential that both matchday and non-matchday revenue potential can be realised.

“The club would like to stress that no decision has been finalised as talks are ongoing, and we aim to keep supporters informed of future developments.”

Jon Sharp said The Butts could be expanded to 25,000 seats, but they would be looking at around 15,000 seats to allow further development of the site - which is just under eight acres in size.

The rugby chief outlined his vision for retail and student accommodation on the site as a measure to help with the financing of the project.

Plans could include lowering the pitch and building two-tier stands to expand capacity.

He conceded that parking was an issue should the plans progress, but pointed towards the central location, bus routes and the proximity of the train station as mitigating factors.

Another challenge could be restrictions on the existing Butts Park lease with Coventry City Council. The Telegraph reported in December that conditions on the lease currently only allow for a rugby club to operate at the venue.

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Leaked email reveals council bid to block Coventry City F.C Butts groundshare

A LEAKED Coventry City Council email exclusively published below blows the lid on council attempts to block a Sky Blues move from the Wasps-owned Ricoh Arena to Cov rugby club’s Butts Park Arena home.

The confidential leaked email below, which we| referred to in our story this morning, was sent by council officer Julie Sprayson in legal services to rugby club personnel.

The email was part of council deliberations with Coventry Rugby Football Club concerning Mr Sharp’s attempts to obtain a 125-year head lease to the wider Butts Park Arena site from Chris Millerchip, a former Cov rugby player now living in New York. The rugby club currently holds a sub-lease.

It is understood the head lease transaction is expected to be completed imminently. It is not clear what legal power, if any, Coventry council as freeholder would have to prevent Mr Sharp obtaining the head lease without the restrictions.

But the council’s January email clearly seeks to place a condition of the lease transfer that no professional football or associated training activities would be permitted at the Butts Park Arena for the full 125-year term of the lease.

It states:

Thank you for your e-mail concerning the above mentioned matter.

I have now liaised with my instructing officer, Nigel Clews of Place Directorate and can confirm that the Council is still happy to proceed with the deed as detailed in your e-mail.

The Council would however wish to raise one issue following recent items in the local press suggesting that professional football was coming to the Butts Arena. I suspect that this is not the case however the Council naturally wants to protect its position as well as the Rugby Club.

It is suggested that we look to add a new clause 12 to the Licence which make a variation or agreement/acknowledgement between the parties that the reference within clause 13.1 of the lease to “any other leisure and sporting activities and uses” shall specifically exclude professional association football or training associated therewith.

I would welcome your comments on the above and hopefully we can agree some wording.

Julie Sprayson – Place Team

Resources Directorate – Legal Services

The Coventry Observer this morning contacted incoming council leader George Duggins – who takes over from ousted leader Ann Lucas tomorrow. We are awaiting a council response.

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Coventry council leader wants Sisu legal action to stop before considering Butts Park ground share

The new leader of Coventry City Council has called on the owners of Coventry City to stop legal action before discussions regarding a possible ground share with Coventry Rugby Club can start.

Coun George Duggins, who takes over from Ann Lucas, said: “I have no comment whatsoever to make on what business the two clubs are doing together.

“What I will say is that there has to be an end to the legal actions. All judicial reviews have got to go and all costs have got to be paid.

“That will be a pre-requisite for opening up any sort of dialogue.”

New cabinet member for business Jim O’Boyle said the proposal would have to be treated like any other though if it came before any future planning meeting.

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Coventry City ground share at Butts Park Arena looks "remote" according to site leaseholder

The possibility of Coventry City FC ground sharing with Coventry RFC at the Butts Park Arena is currently “remote” according to the man who owns the site’s 125-year lease.

Former Coventry RFC player Chris Millerchip owns the head lease of the Butts Park site and must give the go ahead before the land can be developed.

He previously insisted all parties involved in disputes with the football club’s owners must make a genuine attempt to settle their differences before any deal could be properly explored.

But almost one month after details of the proposed ground share were confirmed, Mr Millerchip told the Telegraph that CCFC owners Sisu had so far not come to the table for peace talks, making the chance of any deal at the Butts Park Arena unlikely.

He also said alternative options were being seriously explored, adding talks with other organisations had taken place and that he was hopeful a final decision about the future of the site could be made by the end of the year.

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Coventry City groundshare at Butts Park Arena with Coventry Rugby is off

Plans to redevelop Butts Park Arena no longer include Coventry City , the owner of the stadium’s 125-year land lease has revealed.

Chris Millerchip, who would have the final say over any building project at the home of Coventry Rugby Club, has said his plans to turn the site into a multi-sport community facility do not involve the football club.

The Telegraph revealed in May that plans had been drawn up for a potential groundshare between CCFC and Coventry RFC - including the expansion of the stadium to between 15,000 and 25,000 seats.

But Mr Millerchip, who is a former Coventry RFC player and has invested tens of thousands of pounds in the club, has exclusively revealed to the Telegraph the Sky Blues are no longer in the picture.

He said: “I am working with Jon Sharp (Coventry RFC chairman) and reviewing various options.

“Our hope is that we can resurrect it as a multi-sport community facility. I am meeting Jon and other interested parties in September and we hope to have a plan by the end of the year.

“CCFC are not participating in the project.”

In June, Mr Millerchip revealed details of his hopes for the site exclusively to the Telegraph. He said then that the chances of CCFC moving to the stadium were “remote” until the owners of CCFC held peace talks with Coventry Council, Wasps and Coventry Sports Foundation - which operates the football club’s Academy base.

Now Mr Millerchip appears to have moved on to alternative projects.

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Coventry City ground share with Coventry RFC at Butts Park Arena could be back on



A potential ground-share deal for Coventry City at the Butts Park Arena could be back on the table after the land leaseholder agreed to sell his interest in the stadium site.

Former Coventry RFC player Chris Millerchip has agreed to sell the land lease for the stadium, which he owns, to rugby club chairman Jon Sharp (pictured above).

The deal was struck on Tuesday evening following talks over how the stadium should be developed.

The surprise move comes after Mr Millerchip had previously insisted Coventry City would not be involved in talks to redevelop the stadium site after CCFC owners Sisu refused to engage in peace talks with organisations such as Coventry City Council and Wasps.

With Mr Millerchip out of the picture it will be up to Coventry RFC’s board to decide how the stadium land should be developed.

Coventry RFC chairman Jon Sharp had previously engaged in talks with CCFC and spoke positively about the possibility of creating a 15,000-seater stadium on the land. Which would be used by the rugby and the football club.

Mr Sharp already owns the stadium lease for the Butts Park Arena meaning he would hold the cards when it comes to deciding what is developed on the site.

Mr Millerchip told the Telegraph: “I have agreed to sell my interest in the Butts to Jon as I think ultimately he and the other directors of the club should determine how they want to develop the land.

“I have agreed to keep the terms of the deal confidential.”

Mr Millerchip’s sale will end the former Henry VIII schoolboy’s long involvement with Coventry RFC which has seen him invest tens of thousands of pounds in the club.

Coventry City have previously insisted that a ground share deal at the Butts Park Arena was an option the club was considering seriously.

The club’s deal to play at the Ricoh Arena ends in summer 2018 and talks about extending the arrangement have broken down after landlords Wasps pulled the plug citing the “distraction” of ongoing legal action over the Ricoh Arena from CCFC owners Sisu.

Asked if Coventry City could now be back in the picture, Mr Sharp told the Telegraph: "Mr Millerchip has so agreed [to the sale of the land lease] and this is good news for Coventry Rugby. No further comment."

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I really don't see Butts Park Arena and its immediate infrastructure being suitable for this at all. But, hey, what do I know?

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There'll be so few fans left it'll be more than adequate. However the council have let it be known that they won't tolerate any deal with Sisu.

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Coventry City groundshare deal at Butts Park Arena moves a step closer after lease deal signed

A deal has been signed that could pave the way for Coventry City to push ahead with proposals to ground share at the home of Coventry Rugby Club.

Today Coventry Rugby Limited has announced that it has secured the head lease for the entire eight-acre city Butts Park Arena site .

That means the site is likely to be developed, with club chairman Jon Sharp saying the arena is a “massively underused facility with great potential”.

Until recently former Coventry RFC player Chris Millerchip owned the head lease.

He had previously said that all parties involved in protracted disputes with the football club’s owners must make a genuine attempt to settle their differences before any deal could be properly explored.

A statement from Coventry Rugby Limited said they were “delighted” to announce the deal - though did not mention specifically the possibility of a ground share with CCFC.

They say that subject to the completion of formalities, the head lease will be placed with a new company majority-owned by and controlled by Coventry Rugby Ltd “which places the future of the site in the club’s own hands”.

Mr Sharp said: “Butts Park Arena is a massively underused facility with great potential and we intend to put it to good use.

“Of course, it will require significant investment over time, but initial studies have indicated that funds will be available for the right mix of commercial, sports and community development.

“This should secure the future for Coventry Rugby as well as providing a top class facility right in the centre of the city.”

The statement says the aim of the deal is to develop the site “sympathetically” and improve facilities for fans, players and other users.

They also want to generate income to fund the development of the club.

According to Coventry Rugby Limited the lease was originally granted to the rugby club for the whole of the arena site but, from its inception, had been divided into a head lease, for the whole site, and a sub lease for the pitch and stand.

The statement says: “The board, led by Sharp, are determined that for the first time since the mid to late 1990s, the club should be the beneficiary of the development of the site. It will keep control of the head lease and ensure that it cannot be exposed to any attempted predatory action.

“The aim will be to ensure that developments benefit the club in its professional and playing aspirations and that regular income will be generated to secure the very long term future of Coventry Rugby Club.”

Mr Sharp said: “The site has a great deal of potential and the options for its development will now be carefully examined to see which options are best for the club.”

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Coventry City Butts Park Arena ground share "is ON"



Coventry City chairman Tim Fisher has told fans a ground share at Butts Park Arena with Coventry Rugby Club “is on”.

Speaking at a meeting of supporters’ group The Sky Blue Trust on Monday evening, Mr Fisher said rugby club chairman Jon Sharp was committed to the move as long as long as there was mediation to smooth over the strained relationships between the football club and Coventry City Council .

But he also highlighted infrastructure issues and the need for there to be “a breakout of peace” before any deal could happen.

That seems unlikely with council leader George Duggins repeatedly insisting it will not engage with CCFC, beyond its legal duties in regards to planning, while Coventry City’s London hedge fund owners Sisu pursued legal action against the local authority. A second judicial review process has been started by the Sisu-related Cayman Islands-based firm Arvo and the two companies which run Coventry City.

Another senior councillor has also today raised concerns over the infrastructure improvements required for such a move - suggesting road upgrades could cost in excess of £10million.

Mr Fisher also appeared to finally rule out the possibility of the club building its own ground, having insisted in May 2013 that a new stadium would be “designed and delivered” in three years.