From Fairfax .... FFS huge story about us repaying Council ... interesting at the end re the screen way back in 2008 ... if someone suddenly says you owe us $ 200, 000 we have ignored for 5 years but want it now ... to me it shows a break down in the relationship... also says MC is trying to sell a major share .. just with the bit about fairfax obtaining legal doc's who is giving it to them and for what purpose as I don't believe Fairfax would be chasing this as a story [I could be wrong] this looks to me like the council feeding the media and as I said seems to be a breakdown in the CCM & council relationship or a kunt of a journo ...
Central Coast Mariners are confident they will be granted use of Central Coast Stadium for their opening game of the A-League season having vowed to clear all outstanding stadium-related debt by the end of next week.
With just a month to go until the start of the new season, Central Coast Mariners are facing a number of off-field issues but the ongoing uncertainty surrounding their use of the home ground is one step closer to being solved. The club agreed to a payment plan with Gosford City Council to settle outstanding rent, hiring fees and match day costs to avoid being denied access to the ground for their first game of the season, at home to Newcastle Jets on October 11.
Fairfax Media obtained documents confirming a stadium lock-out remains in place for the Mariners until they repay all outstanding stadium-related debt accumulated from last season. The club debt swelled to about $130,000 by the end of last season due to unpaid fees owed to the stadium's owner and manager, Gosford City Council.
The Mariners were denied use of the stadium for a pre-season training game in mid-August due to their outstanding bill and were only permitted access to the ground for a friendly against the Young Socceroos scheduled for September 27 after the Football Federation of Australia assumed all hiring fees responsibilities.
In a document obtained by The Herald, the Mariners were told; "There are outstanding issues in regard to a payment plan and monies owed to the stadium from last season. Until this is resolved, there will be no access to the venue for activities or training."
The Mariners entered a payment plan with Gosford City Council to repay all outstanding rental and hiring fees but have been formally warned they will be denied access for their opening A-League game should they fail to adhere to the plan. The club is understood to be paying $15,000 per-week as part of the agreement.
"That will be paid up by next Thursday, September 11," Mariners chief executive Bruce Stalder said.
Though, it's not the end of their financial difficulties as a separate matter related to a six-year outstanding loan granted by the council is still disputed by the club.
In 2008, the Mariners took out a loan from the council understood to now be worth close to $200,000 for the purchase of a big screen scoreboard at the stadium they are yet to repay and the matter was recently forwarded to legal mediation.
"We put a proposal to them which they knocked back," Stalder said. "What it was was that we would pay back all the money but it was over almost two years until October 1, 2015 and we asked to keep the screen at the end but they've knocked that back so we're going to mediation, which is natural."
The saga of their tenancy and debt coincides with owner
Mike Charlesworth attempting to sell a controlling stake in the club having actively sought assistance in attracting buyers. Charlesworth is living in England and is attempting to sell the club partly due to the difficulties of managing the Mariners from abroad and personally contacted clubs in England interesting in purchasing the club.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/...eague-game-20140905-10d2r4.html#ixzz3CQExBiZn
