In case the team decides to leave the City Ground due to a disagreement over rent with the city council, Nottingham Forest has held negotiations with Nottinghanshire Council.
The football team, who rents the stadium from Nottingham City Council, is not pleased with a suggested rise in rent, which would raise it from £250,000 to £1 million.
In order to begin the process of exploring for alternative locations in the event that the disagreement cannot be resolved, preliminary discussions have been made with Nottinghamshire County Council.
During a full council meeting on March 21, political leaders emphasized the necessity for confidentiality regarding the details addressed, leading to the revelation of the discussions.
A motion was passed by the members to keep looking into the possibility of using any council-owned properties that were surplus to needs.
“We all know how important Nottingham Forest is to the area, but it’s not our decision,” Mansfield MP and council leader, Coun. Ben Bradley (Con), said to the gathering.
“Can you work with us to find an alternative if we can’t find anywhere to stay?” is the question the club has put out.
“We’ve written to each other.
“There is nothing more widely to discuss at this stage.
“I’m sure Nottingham Forest and the city council can work things out, and this will be resolved.”
The Independent Alliance group had speculated that talks had taken place in “smoke filled rooms,” but he refuted this, claiming Nottingham Forest was receiving the same treatment as any other developer.
The original motion’s proposer, Councilman David Martin (Ind.), stated that council-owned land at Toton that was initially purchased for an HS2 station might be acceptable.
“It would be a major boost for Broxtowe economies,” he stated.
“Ahead of going to the stadium, people would still go into the city to stay and eat.
Everyone benefits from the socioeconomic advantages, regardless of football fandom.
More openness regarding the negotiations was demanded by other council members.
“Many businesses rely on selling pints, burgers, and car parking spaces to fans, and they will be affected,” stated Ash, Indiana councilor Tom Hollis.
“They must assist as much as possible in finding alternate locations if the club were to relocate.”
In response to claims that the council had been secretive, Coun Keith Girling (Con) struck back.
“Do you expect us to post this commercially sensitive information on Facebook?” he asked.
Labour did not cast a vote because, according to the officers, its own amendment requesting public consultation would have altered the spirit of the motion.
“Fans will be lying awake at night wondering about the future,” stated Councilwoman Michelle Welsh (Lab). They believe no one is paying attention to them.
Although Forest’s lease on City Ground has 33 years remaining, they would like to extend it before making the long-awaited stadium expansion investment.
In a letter to the city council, eight MPs from Nottinghamshire expressed their disapproval of the club’s relocation.
Mark Spencer, the MP for Hucknall, expressed his desire for Forest to stay at the City Ground on Facebook, writing, “I hope the Labour-run city council comes to their senses sooner rather than later.”
“With so many employment reliant on Forest, it is impossible to dispute the enormous economic advantage they provide to the region, regardless of the side you root for.
A spokesperson for the city council recently said they remained committed to further negotiations.
