Spotland tenants Rochdale Hornets have responded to the news that Dale were speaking to the RFL and the Council over a possible Stadium buy out.
Monday saw the news that Dale were looking at becoming the full owners of Spotland, by submitting a bid to acquire the shares of the Rugby Football League and Rochdale Council as a way of taking control of a stadium that has racked up debts of £670,000. Any propsed deal would involve a lease allowing Rochdale Hornets long term use of the ground.
But in two separate statements, Hornets have responded by trying to have Spotland listed as an Asset of Community Value with a view to preventing any sale of the ground. This was cited as being done to prevent its ownership coming into the hands of a private investor - an action which doesn't seem to tally with a potential takeover by Rochdale Football Club.
A second statement suggests that Hornets were offered to bid for the RFL shares twelve months ago, but decided it was not feasible at that moment in time to proceed with such a bid.
The statement also called into question Dale's running of the stadium: I t is disappointing, although not surprising, that the Stadium Company is £670,000 in debt despite Rochdale Hornets being fully upto date with all rental payments.
On behalf of the membership, we will ask the Chair of the Stadium Company, Cllr Martin Burke, how the stadium has accrued this level of debt, which is being under written by the tax payer, while the stadium has been under the management of Rochdale AFC and feedback as and when appropriate.
Rochdale Hornets have offered in the past and more recently to help with the administration of the stadium at nil cost but this was not accepted by the Denhurst Park board. We have also helped out by bringing functions and events to the Stadium, including the Rugby League World Cup, which proved a major money spinner for the stadium.