MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 3, 2016 Report Share Posted July 3, 2016 I've been reading the Swindon Stadium thread. I've not been able to check the entire forum but is it known that Gaming International (stadium operators at Poole and Swindon) has an offer on the table for Torquay United FC? In March 2016 Gaming International signed a memorandum of understanding with Torquay United's present owners for the purchase of the club. It's now July and neither party appears to be keen on discussing the progress of the deal. The speculation is that Gaming International has little interest in the affairs of the football club but plenty of enthusiasm for the construction of a new stadium. To this effect Clarke Osborne, chair of Gaming International, has incorporated a company called Riviera Stadium Limited. Any deal would be subject to the approval of Torbay Council, owners of the Plainmoor football ground as well as the most likely site for a new stadium. Without this permission it is suspected Gaming International would have no interest in the football club alone. Torquay supporters are aware of Gaming International's record at Reading and Swindon with respect to stadium redevelopment. There have been several online discussions amongst our supporters, the most recent being: http://torquayfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8858 http://www.torquayfansforum.co.uk/thread/11946/tufc-takeover-bid-gaming-international Any comments or observations would be warmly appreciated either here or on one of the Torquay United forums. Thank you in anticipation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22A Posted July 8, 2016 Report Share Posted July 8, 2016 Reading those Torquay Utd forum posts, I looked elsewhere and found on another football club's forum; "Clarke Osborne was also responsible for Hereford Utd going bankrupt." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A ORLOV Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 (edited) Just keep reading the Swindon Speedway thread and the details on the planning apps. Many untruths have been told re start dates for the stadium and even the bull excretia they put out re planning permission having been obtained when it clearly has not also their ridiculous timescale claims. Swindon Council should have insisted that the new stadium was built before any houses were and Stadia UK would have had to find the finance to do it, rather than let them build the houses to finance the stadium. Now the houses are occupied there have already been letters going round re the noise from the speedway. I have no idea if the new residents can now object to the stadium being used for speedway which it why it would have been better to have it up and running before any houses are built. Edited July 9, 2016 by A ORLOV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagonshocker Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 Everything Clarke Osborne and Gaming International become involved with turns to zero for varying reasons, just how long are people going to be duped by this scandalous individual and the company he is involved with? Milton Keynes went awol Reading dragged on until it died a death now Swindon has dragged on for a decade with countless plans re submitted with Swindon Borough Council asking why they havent started work yet and now quite timely Wilts and Dorset fire voicing concerns about safety access.Such an obvious oversight on GI's part and it makes you question their integrity and honesty and now we hear about Torquay and the news about Hereford? Poole Speedway is now under a dark cloud as GI and yes you got it Clarke Osborne has been thrown into the mix of a possible Poole Council deal with them regarding redeveloping Poole Stadium, really does make you wonder how thick or is it just corrupt the groups involved with dealing with these sheisters are? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 Thank you for the interest in this both here and on the Swindon Stadium thread. Shareholder AGM at Plainmoor on Monday 11 July. Local paper expects an announcement, one way or the other, to be made then. We'll see. Current owner of Truro City FC being flagged up as an alternative bidder. Complex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 (edited) Just keep reading the Swindon Speedway thread and the details on the planning apps. Many untruths have been told re start dates for the stadium and even the bull excretia they put out re planning permission having been obtained when it clearly has not also their ridiculous timescale claims. Swindon Council should have insisted that the new stadium was built before any houses were and Stadia UK would have had to find the finance to do it, rather than let them build the houses to finance the stadium. Now the houses are occupied there have already been letters going round re the noise from the speedway. I have no idea if the new residents can now object to the stadium being used for speedway which it why it would have been better to have it up and running before any houses are built. It does make you wonder what house buyers have been told when noticing the proximity of the stadium. "Don't worry, it won't be there much longer". ? I used to have a boss who'd moved into an estate on the other side of Blunsdon village about 2010 and was always whingeing about how the speedway kept his kids awake. He didn't respond well when I pointed out the track had been there since 1949 and perhaps this is the reason the place had been so affordable? The rest of the office enjoyed it though. He is of course my ex-boss.... This guy was a very well-qualified accountant. Now, how long will it be before there are more like him in the new Abbey estate organising petitions? If I were a Torquay fan I'd be preparing for a future out of the town, if at all. The houses will be up on Plainmoor in record time and the fans will be left wondering what's happening about the replacement stadium and why the work still hasn't begun. Edited July 9, 2016 by rmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Little doing at today's Torquay United AGM. Nothing new revealed; shareholder concerns not addressed; press excluded. Gaming International apparently have until 31 July to do the deal or withdraw. Unless, of course, the period of exclusivity is extended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 (edited) Here we go. From the Torquay Herald Express:http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/torquay-united-sizeable-loan-will-have-to-be-paid-back-if-gaming-international-deal-falls-through/story-29512023-detail/story.htmlhttp://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/torquay-united-david-thomas-questions-why-the-media-was-barred-from-monday-s-agm/story-29506674-detail/story.htmlhttp://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/torquay-united-david-thomas-speculates-on-what-the-obstacles-are-holding-up-the-gi-takeover/story-29511972-detail/story.html Edited July 14, 2016 by MarkLoramTUFCfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 Here we go. From the Torquay Herald Express: http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/torquay-united-sizeable-loan-will-have-to-be-paid-back-if-gaming-international-deal-falls-through/story-29512023-detail/story.html http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/torquay-united-david-thomas-questions-why-the-media-was-barred-from-monday-s-agm/story-29506674-detail/story.html http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/torquay-united-david-thomas-speculates-on-what-the-obstacles-are-holding-up-the-gi-takeover/story-29511972-detail/story.html Someone at the Herald Express needs to to talk to someone at the Swindon Advertiser. Interesting to see GI referred to as a property developer, not a stadium management company. Times change, eh? Has nobody down there realised they're only interested in redeveloping the land? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2016 Torquay United has made a statement today about the Gaming International deal. This is what we’ve learned: It’s not Gaming international with whom the club has entered a Memorandum of Understanding. It’s Riviera Stadium Ltd: formed 22 March 2016; sole director Clarke Osborne; sole shareholder Gaming International. Discussions with Torbay Council centre upon the freehold of Plainmoor which has been in council ownership since 1910 (as opposed to discussions about a new site at this stage). The supporters’ trust has had the ground listed as an Asset of Community Value; there’s local confidence that a series of covenants ensure the ground will always be used for recreational purposes. This will be put to the test by Riviera’s/GI’s intentions. Torquay United (possibly at the behest of GI) has, through today’s statement, effectively told the council “to get a move on” in order to save the deal. According to the memorandum they’ve got twelve days. Should GI secure the freehold they will become Torquay United’s landlord regardless of whether the football club remains a subsidiary or becomes an independent business again. http://www.torquayunited.com/news/article/2016-17/statement-from-the-chairman-3193806.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted July 19, 2016 Report Share Posted July 19, 2016 If I were the council and supported the continuation of football, i'd walk away from GI. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 Not a great deal to report at Torquay United. Gaming International's memorandum of understanding to buy the club expires this weekend. The local paper says the current owners are exploring the proverbial "Plan B" (although no one has the foggiest what this may entail). The assumption, although it's hard to be sure, is that "it's off". It's possible, of course, that the memorandum will be extended again. South Devon is finally waking up to what's been happening. Probably anyway. Supporters have been writing to the local mayor; the supporters trust is waiting in the wings with a community ownership proposal. The town newspaper is belatedly showing an interest even though its chief football writer takes the view that fans aren't really bothered about behind-the-scenes shenanigans. The editor has pushed it a step further however and has revealed that Gaming International has taken the lead in pushing for the freehold of Plainmoor to be made available. The club itself has taken a backseat in dealings with the council: http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/ball-firmly-in-the-council-s-court/story-29552681-detail/story.html A spot of digging reveals GI has worked with Moirai Capital Investments, another Swindon-based company, on a stalled redevelopment project for the Milton Keynes Bowl. Moirai also dallied with a leisure centre project in Paignton before the council changed its mind. Maybe Moirai passed on the news that the council is short of cash and that Torbay offers rich pickings. Hopefully it has proved not to be quite as straightforward as this. GI continues to say nothing. Not a word for public consumption. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted July 28, 2016 Report Share Posted July 28, 2016 (edited) GI continues to say nothing. Not a word for public consumption. GI sound a lot like our chums at Risk Capital Partners,Galliard Homes and the GRA Edited July 28, 2016 by Triple.H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 Everything Clarke Osborne and Gaming International become involved with turns to zero for varying reasons, just how long are people going to be duped by this scandalous individual and the company he is involved with? Milton Keynes went awol Reading dragged on until it died a death now Swindon has dragged on for a decade with countless plans re submitted with Swindon Borough Council asking why they havent started work yet and now quite timely Wilts and Dorset fire voicing concerns about safety access.Such an obvious oversight on GI's part and it makes you question their integrity and honesty and now we hear about Torquay and the news about Hereford? Poole Speedway is now under a dark cloud as GI and yes you got it Clarke Osborne has been thrown into the mix of a possible Poole Council deal with them regarding redeveloping Poole Stadium, really does make you wonder how thick or is it just corrupt the groups involved with dealing with these sheisters are? Yes he was involved with the proposed sale of Cowley Stadium back in 1976 before it was saved by a committee of speedway and greyhound enthusiasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heathen chemistry Posted July 29, 2016 Report Share Posted July 29, 2016 has GI realised speedway is on a decline and doesnt look like improving? are they thhinking of cashing in on there assets while the price is right due to a housing program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Come on the Skipper Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36936354 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLoramTUFCfan Posted July 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 Thank you, Come on the Skipper. Statement too on the club website: http://www.torquayunited.com/news/article/2016-17/statement-from-the-chairman-3217186.aspx A major stumbling block whereby Gaming International went outside of the Memorandum to explore purchase of the freehold of Plainmoor? Hmm. Who knows? Attention now on the bloke who owns Truro City and, quite possibly, the supporters trust. Thank you for your interest. Good luck to those who follow speedway at Poole and Swindon. For the uninitiated there was another Mark Loram. Brixham born, played for Torquay United, something of a wasted talent who should have played at a higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cheese Posted December 19, 2016 Report Share Posted December 19, 2016 Gaming International have now completed their takeover of Torquay - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38339945 It seems as though it's been done without the deal to buy the freehold of the ground which is what caused them to pull out previously, but still you have to fear for the future of Torquay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.