Approval of the finalisation and signing of the Community Stadium and Leisure Facility long-term contract will be sought at the next Executive meeting. The facility features: a community stadium to seat 8000 and host professional football and rugby league games, 25m swimming pool, teaching pool, leisure fun pool, competition standards hall, extreme Clip ‘n’ Climb play centre, outdoor high ropes climbing facility, 3G Astroturf sports pitches, a 13 screen Multiplex Cinema, five restaurants, three retail units, York’s first digital IMAX screen; an Explore Library and cafe.
York Against Cancer and York NHS Hospital Trust are contributing significantly.
Cllr Chris Steward, Consecutive leader of York Council, said: “We have made clear we are fully committed to delivering the Community Stadium and Leisure Facility project. In 2015 significant budget overruns emerged and officers have worked hard to address these. Through these proposals we anticipate the site will be completed by winter 2017, which will provide a wide-range of significant benefits for the city, including for the city’s football and rugby league teams.”
The capital costs are estimated at £44.2million, an increase primarily due to construction inflationary pressures and slippage in the overall timetable. Additional costs aside, £4.3million has been saved over the leisure contract. The council, their venture fund and York City Football Club are funding the scheme.
If approval is not gained there will be a range of implications including an abortive cost of £4.2million and a report will need to be produced before the end of April reviewing spending levels and setting out the options of procurement.
Executive meet on 17 March from 5.30pm and the meeting is open to the public.