England: QPR want to move out of Loftus Road
source: StadiumDB.com; author: Tomasz Sobura
Rangers have been playing at the current ground on and off for 104 years. However, it seems the venue is already too tight for the club and it is not surprising that the Hoops management is looking for a site to build a stadium that matches the club's ambitions.
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Loftus Road, also known as Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, opened in 1904. Thirteen years later, Queens Park Rangers began playing there. The facility has witnessed many important matches for the club, but its best years are long gone. It would be difficult to reconstruct it due to the lack of space in the immediate vicinity and that makes the entire operation unprofitable.
Therefore, the Hoops principals are looking for a new site to erect the stadium, while at the same time wanting the team not to lose its local character. Hammersmith and Fulham is the borough from which QPR originate. There are certainly many casinos in the area as well as all over London. However, for many regulars at these venues an online casino is the perfect addition, such as 200 casino bonus.
In recent months, club decision makers have expressed a desire to build a new arena on the site belonging to Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre (LCS) next to Wormwood Scrubs. This would keep the team close to their loyal supporters. Moreover, QPR officials say an investment in this particular location could generate £60 million annually for the local economy.
An important issue related to the LCS is the fact that the land there is worth millions of pounds and the local council will not give it to the club for free. QPR are a private entity managed by a foreign owner and any activities related to the free transfer of land would be considered mismanagement in the eyes of taxpayers.
The construction of the venue in the area is welcomed by local residents who last year, during public survey, supported the creation of a large-scale ground, namely a 30,000-seater stadium. As many as 80 percent of the 8,782 respondents were in favour of it.
If the club wanted to build there, it would have to prepare a bid to buy the plot of land. The question is whether QPR can afford it. The council recently suggested to the Hoops that if they are interested in any site in the borough and need financial help to meet their goals, they should look into a fan-based ownership scheme.
To make progress, QPR need a bigger ground than Loftus Road, which has only 18,439 seats. What's worse, nowadays, commercial spaces are just as important as the capacity of the auditorium, and these cannot be created at their current stadium.
In the worst-case scenario, the Rangers consider moving out of the borough. It is said that if a new stadium cannot be built in Hammersmith and Fulham, options such as Ealing or Brent will be taken into account. The local council says it has not received the club's specific relocation plans. Moreover, the councilors criticise QPR for the lack of proper communication.
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