Chiefs boss outlines plans to expand Sandy Park capacity to 20,000

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http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/rugby...ty-20-000/article-3125813-detail/article.html

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/rugby...ty-20-000/article-3125813-detail/article.html

EXETER Chiefs boss Tony Rowe has outlined ambitious plans to expand Sandy Park into a 20,000-capacity stadium.

After winning promotion to the Premiership last season, the rugby club's chief executive said the Chiefs were targeting top-level European competition within the next three to five years.

To help fund a playing squad capable of competing with the Continent's elite clubs, a five-year plan aims to make Sandy Park the largest banqueting and conferencing facility in the Westcountry as well as doubling the stadium's current capacity.

Addressing an audience of city businesspeople at Exeter Chamber of Commerce's monthly lunch, Mr Rowe explained the board's vision for the phased development of the ground between now and 2017.

The first stage will see a new East Terrace – on the M5 side of Sandy Park – built within three years to accommodate 2,000 standing spectators and an upper tier with 2,500 seats.

This will be followed by the construction of a new South Stand, incorporating a 1,000-seat auditorium for hosting large banquets and functions.

The next step will be to extend the West Grandstand outwards to double the size of the existing conferencing facilities.

And the final stage of the masterplan will see the replacement of the North Terrace to complete a "wraparound" stadium.

Speaking to the Echo afterwards, Mr Rowe said: "We are in the Premiership to stay, so within the Premiership we will be in Europe. To hold a European quarter-final or semi-final you need a minimum capacity of 20,000. We always planned Sandy Park to have a 20,000 capacity. Now we are in the Premiership it's a couple of years of consolidation and while we are consolidating on the pitch we have got to be making plans to increase our capacity.

"The good thing is we have a very strong foundation now at Sandy Park and a profitable sporting club playing in the Premiership. We have done all the hard work putting the building blocks in place."

The club already has planning consent for the new East Terrace and an application for the entire scheme is expected to be submitted later this year.

The estimated £25 million cost of the development will partly be financed through the club's own profits and partly through selling shares in the club to supporters and other investors.

The Chiefs' progress on and off the pitch comes despite not competing on a level playing field financially with other Premiership clubs. Mr Rowe was critical of the system of distributing TV and sponsorship money to top-flight clubs which sees the Chiefs receive around £1.2 million a year while founder members of the Premiership pocket £3.5 million.