Source: Team_Talk
Blues move is a Bridge too far
Chelsea have re-iterated their desire to remain at Stamford Bridge despite suggestions they are in talks to leave their 105-year-old home.[LNB] Reports claim that the Premier League champions are to build a 60,000 seater ground on the site of the soon-to-be-demolished Earls Court exhibition centre.[LNB]It is understood that proposals have been sent to Chelsea but the club has no plans to follow them up at the present time.[LNB]A spokesman for the club said: "We'll always look at proposals presented to us, but we have no plans to move stadium at this time."[LNB]Leading architect Sir Terry Farrell is set to transform Earls Court into a new residential area with more than 8,000 new homes.[LNB]The scheme, being undertaken with fellow landowners, Transport for London and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, enters its latest stage of public consultation this week.[LNB]The move by Capital and Counties, the site's owners, is understood to be a last effort to get a better deal before the housing plan becomes final.[LNB]They are believed to have contacted all previously interested parties to see if there is any renewed interest.[LNB]While Chelsea viewed the proposals, the club are currently intent on pursuing the sale of naming rights for Stamford Bridge to increase revenue.[LNB]The Blues understand they cannot compete with the match day income streams of rivals like Manchester United and Arsenal and see the sale of naming rights as a way of bridging the gap and re-stating their commitment to remain at the ground.[LNB]Chelsea looked at the same Earls Court site four years ago but did not pursue the opportunity.[LNB]Earls Court is scheduled to host the 2012 Olympic volleyball competition before the exhibition centre is demolished.[LNB]The 73-year-old venue has hosted rock concerts from all the top bands like Slade and Led Zeppelin but it has suffered from the emergence of the O2 Arena as a leading venue.[LNB]Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, quoted at the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge last month, said: "Certainly we wouldn't leave west London or thereabouts and there are very few sites available.[LNB]"We have to do things with our other commercial activities to make up the deficit that is created by the fact we don't have a 60,000 seat stadium. We can't say that we will never move or have a new stadium but at the moment, it's not at the front of our agenda."
