Source: FOOTYMAD
New South Stand On Horizon
AFC Bournemouth have unveiled ambitious plans for a new South Stand at Dean Court. Since the stadium opened, the south end of the ground has either been empty, or has had a temporary stand in place, but now the Club are hoping to build a 3400 capacity stand at that end of the ground, which will also incorporate a hotel and spa complex. The plans being set out also include a park-and-ride scheme for people travelling to the town centre, new training pitches, office suites and executive boxes. On the plans, Cherries Chairman, Eddie Mitchell is quoted in the Bournemouth Evening Echo as saying: "One of the problems we’ve got is we are in the middle of quite a downturn in the economy. To find a user for the hotel might take some time but if we can get somebody to anchor it around, then it’s very feasible. We obviously need a stand at that end. I think the hotel would complement the park and the club itself. There’s a lot that the park can offer, I just think it needs some energy put into it. That’s what we’re working on. f we can get an end user for the hotel, that would contribute quite a considerable amount towards it. And if we’re successful on the pitch there’s money that would come into the club that’d obviously go towards it. We’ve got to plan ahead. It’s a five to 10-year plan but if you don’t plan then it doesn’t get done We would like to regenerate that area. It needs it. It’s a lovely park but it’s lacked maintenance in the past and it’s got heavy lorries going in and out of it every day".
