Calderdale Council says they have sought an up-to-date valuation of The Shay as the future of the stadium potentially nears a resolution. The council is set to consider the two proposals on the table for the future of The Shay at a cabinet meeting on Monday, March 17, with Huddersfield Giants owner Ken Davy and a group of Halifax Town supporters behind the contrasting plans.
The working party group would like to see a not-for-profit trust run The Shay, while Mr Davy wants to buy the ground and move the Giants in to play there while a new home for them is built.
Mr Davy’s proposals include offering to sell the stadium to FC Halifax Town and/or Halifax Panthers when the Giants leave, but this has led many supporters to question what would happen if the clubs couldn’t afford this and the ground ended up in the hands of a third-party.
When asked by the Courier whether Calderdale Council could reassure fans that whoever buys the stadium, a guarantee would be given that both clubs continued to play there, a council spokesperson said: “The council has received two expressions of interest in operating the Shay – one from Ken Davy, owner of Huddersfield Giants rugby league club, and one from a group of FC Halifax Town supporters.
"Cabinet members will consider these proposals at their meeting on Monday, March 17.
"Both proposals will need to demonstrate commitment to ensuring access to the two professional sports clubs in any future lease agreements that are put in place.
"Cabinet members will consider these proposals at their meeting on Monday, March 17.
"Both proposals will need to demonstrate commitment to ensuring access to the two professional sports clubs in any future lease agreements that are put in place.
"Discussions are continuing between the council, the clubs and all the affected parties.
The council said there was “no explicit decision” when it announced their intention to dispose of The Shay a year ago about whether this should be by long-term lease or sale, and said that “all options will be considered”.
The council also confirmed it has sought an up-to-date valuation of the Shay and that any possible purchase “would involve negotiation, taking into account factors such as any proposed capital investment at the stadium”.
However, the council didn’t respond directly to the question of what their valuation of the stadium was.
On any other interested parties wanting to potentially counter what is decided by the cabinet meeting in March, the council spokesperson said: “The Shay has been registered as an Asset of Community Value, giving community groups the chance to express interest in acquiring the site.
"Once cabinet members have decided on an option for the future of the Shay at their meeting in March, there will be a period where community organisations can express interest in acquiring the stadium, with time to develop a business case that the council would need to consider.”
And on any timescales for when the future of The Shay will handed over to whoever will run it in future, the council spokesperson said: “When cabinet has chosen a preferred proposal, the council will develop timescales in partnership with the relevant parties. End.
FC Halifax Town fans launch petition urging council not to sell The Shay in potential blow for Huddersfield Giants CALLUM WALKER 04/02/2025
FANS of FC Halifax Town have launched a petition urging Calderdale Council not to sell The Shay Stadium in what could be a potential blow for Huddersfield Giants.
The future of the ground will go before a council cabinet meeting in March with two proposals on the table.
One of those proposals – which has been put forward by FC Halifax Town fans – would see The Shay being run by an independent, not-for-profit trust whilst the other has been put forward by Giants owner Ken Davy, with Davy keen on purchasing the venue.
That would see the Giants move to The Shay whilst Davy and the club build their own stadium as opposed to playing out of the John Smith’s Stadium.
Davy has also said he will offer the ground back to both clubs for them to purchase once the Giants move out and into their own stadium.
One fan who has been at the heart of the petition told the Halifax Courier: “”Hopefully, we will gather the 2,000 signatures required to get a slot at the council cabinet meeting on March 17.
“We are not, in principal, against the Huddersfield Giants moving to the Shay on a temporary basis, but this has to be done so as not to endanger the future of either FC Halifax Town or the Halifax Panthers.
“The current Ken Davy proposal to loan money to the two clubs to do the pitch remediation, which they will then subsequently pay back to Mr Davy, would put the burden for funding this ultimately on the local clubs and not the Giants.
“More importantly, if and when the Giants move back to their new home in Kirklees, the offer to sell the ground back to the two clubs is unlikely to happen as neither club has the financial capacity to undertake such a significant investment.
“This raises the worrying concern that once the freehold has been sold to a private company, and the Giants no longer require any use of the Shay, it could well be sold on the open market, potentially leading to the loss of the Shay as a community asset and the end of the the two sporting clubs.
“The petition is open to anyone, rugby fans included, who have the same concerns over the future of the Shay, as we would like the council to consider a hybrid approach using the other options for managing the ground on an ongoing basis alongside the Ken Davy proposal, without selling the ‘family silver’. End.
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