England: Hull owners consider leaving KC Stadium

source: BBC.co.uk; author: michał

England: Hull owners consider leaving KC Stadium After failed attempt to buy the stadium from municipal authorities, Hull City AFC hope to move away. One condition is reaching promotion back to the Premier League, BBC reports.

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When Assem Allam took over at the club in December 2010, they were mid-tabled Championship side with £35 million into the red despite a two-season Premier League adventure in 2008-2010. Now they’ve paid their debts and are hopeful to win promotion as they’re fourth and chasing competition.

It’s highly possible that getting hold of top-tier status again will prompt Tigers to relocate. This news comes in a rather ironic moment as today it’s been exactly 10 years since Hull played their first fixture at KC Stadium.

"I don't see the future of the club being at the KC Stadium," Allam told BBC Radio Humberside. "If we get promoted, then there are other plans."

"There is no future for me and the KC Stadium unless it is freehold. If you rent a house, then you don't pay to put an extension on it," he said. This refers to plans introduced in 2011 when Allam announced he’d like to expand to even 40,000 and build a sports hub around the stadium. Since those plans were dismissed, he claims to be looking for a different location and finally get a stadium the club would own, not just lease.

It isn’t clear where Hull City might relocate, given the opportunity. It’s also possible that the Egyptian owner intends to build pressure on the city to reconsider as without their football tenants maintaining the ground at a high level may become difficult.

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