Blue Kipper has joined forces with 'Everton For Kings Dock' a grouping of independent supporters, independent shareholders, fanzines, and other Everton groups united for the club's bid for Kings Dock

'EKD' Meeting

Blue Kipper attended the 'Everton for Kings Dock' steering committee meeting (sounds very grand. It isn't) on Wednesday, 7th March 2000. There will be a press release next Tuesday, 13/03/01. We have concentrated on the jobs & the multipurpose stadium aspects of the bid. We thought we have hammered the Everton angle, & needed to highlight 'the stadium will benefit all of Merseyside' side of the bid. When the new letter is ready , we will put it on the site.

One thing that needs to be pointed out is that lots of fans have received replies with answers such as 'Noted' & 'your views will be passed on'. Although they are not personal answers, we are getting through to these people. You can then send a letter, which just highlights one point (e.g. The Everton bid offers up to 8000 jobs, which is more than all the other bids). Just keep sending them. (11/03/01)

Secret Report Revealed

Everton are in pole position to win the battle to develop the Kings Dock. The news is revealed in a secret report by regeneration agency Liverpool Vision. It also says Everton should NOT be the owners of the new stadium. Instead they believe it should be owned and managed by Everton's consortium partners, stadium specialists SFX. They would run it with site owners English partnerships and the city council. That would mean Everton becoming tenants at their home ground.

Bill Kenwright said: "We do not want to comment on such speculation. However, we are proud of the plan we have come up with, one that will provide an International Stadium and arena for the City of Liverpool. From the outset this has been Everton's Vision, thus far financed and generated by Everton. Our partners and colleagues are of huge importance to us and the project, however I can only reiterate that Everton Football Club has been, and will always be, at the forefront of this project and we will not be renting a ground."

Replies so far. If you have one email Blue Kipper

1. As an Evertonian, I hope for an appropriate stadium for the club. I also want to see the King's Dock developed with a world-class project, reflecting the city's world-class international brand. Whether the two are a match, I am happy to let Joe Dwyer (Liverpool Vision) decide! However, I am given to understand that everton's proposal is by far and away the most impressive.
Peter Kilfoyle, Walton M.P.

2. Years ago I felt that Liverpool and Everton should build a joint stadium on the Kings Dock to rival the San Siro. Over the years talking to mates in the city council's planning department I changed my mind, mainly on traffic grounds. I actually think it is impractical to build a football ground there. A far better idea in my opinion would be to build the finest stadium in Europe in Stanley Park shared by both clubs. But what do I know? All the best mate, Brian Reade, Daily Mirror

3. I am in regular contact with Everton and Bill Kenwright about their Dock bid. We were first to break the news of their interest in what is a fantastic site. We were first to publish the initial drawings highlighting their ambitions, used as a page one lead. We carried another page one exclusive on the latest powerful images of the proposed new stadium. We ran a week long poll which effectively gave Everton a powerful mandate from the people of Liverpool to secure the dock site. This was promoted in another page one lead. It's a nonsense to suggest we are anti Everton on this issue. To suggest otherwise is totally unfair. As a serious newspaper, it was crucial when the five rival bids were first revealed that we highlighted all the proposals. In doing so, the Everton element was still the only one featured powerfully on page one. Unless we look closely at all the options, none of us can assume that the Everton bid is the best option for the city. It was imperative that we gave our readers a clear insight into all the plans as the deadline for submissions
loomed. It would have been wrong for the city and for Everton FC if this process had not been followed fairly and in a transparent manner. Anything less could actually have worked AGAINST the Blues in the eyes of people like English Partnership. Bill Kenwright understands this. Ultimately, the powers that be will pick the best proposal for what is an outstanding heritage site. Everton remain very confident that they will win the day (backed up by that positive ECHO poll).
We have not shown an anti Everton stance.I refute that totally. Like you, we desperately want Everton to bounce back in a big way as a major football club. We have a tremendous relationship with the Blues. If you have any doubt about that, ask any of the key individuals at the club. Here's to the success you dream of for a great club. I personally share that dream.
Best wishes, Ken Rogers, Liverpool Echo

4. Thank you for your comments. I will see that they are presented to the Selection Board.
Mike Storey, Leader Liverpool City Council.

If you have a reply email Blue Kipper

COUNTDOWN TO THE KINGS DOCK ANNOUNCEMENT

MARCH 3 - Leaflets to fans at home game v Newcastle

MARCH 19 - Consultants interview developers on individual projects.

APRIL 20 - Board of the regeneration company Liverpool Vision meets to consider a technical evaluation of the projects.

MAY 14 - Board of English Partnerships, owners of the site, meets to decide on the appointment of a preferred developer.

MAY 15 - The chairmen of Liverpool Vision and English Partnerships will jointly announce the winner.

MAY 19 - at home to Sunderland in the last game of the season, what a party that could be!!

All Evertonians will know that our bid for Kings Dock is the best thing to happen to our club in recent years.

If we win, it will be the greatest uplift to morale since the great Howard Kendall teams of the eighties.

We all love Goodison Park but it is time to move on. The existing site cannot be developed to meet the aspirations of a modern first class club. If we hesitate now it could be many years before we manage to restore ourselves to the forefront of the game. It is up to each and every one of us to do our best to support our bid for the Kings Dock site. The competing bids are being marked NOW.

It is not enough to hope or assume that our bid will be treated fairly, even though it is easily the best proposal for the city. There are other factors in play, not least vested financial interests. If you assume you can leave this to the so-called Kings Dock Forum and its members you are wrong. At the time of writing we do not even have ALL the names, including "advisers", allegedly participating in the Forum. Nor have we been told HOW they will mark each bid or what opportunity we will have to make our views known. This kind of secrecy has nothing whatever to do with democratic decision-making. Already the final decision date has been postponed.

Nor can we look to the local press for their full support. We all know how the Echo and the Daily Post have dealt with this matter. They have no intention of supporting our bid despite years of complaining the city has no multi-purpose arena. Our bid provides one in a superb setting and with an outstanding architectural concept - much better than any of the other bids. Yet still they undermine our bid by silence. As Elia Wheeler Wilcox said, "To sin by silence makes cowards of men." In fact those who oppose our bid depend upon silence from our supporters.

So you need to make your voice heard and your opinion respected. You can do this by letter, fax, e-mail, phone-in and personal representation through the following targets:

(a) The Kings Dock Forum. To each participant.

(b) Politicians. To local and national politicians. Councillors, MPs, ministers.

(c) Media. To local and national radio, TV and press.

Do not under-estimate the possible effect of you engaging the issue. The more voices we have, the better our chances. But you must be clear and articulate. Anything less will not help our bid. A suggested letter format is set out below along with a suggested contact list.
We urge you to get involved NOW. It will be useless complaining afterwards. Remember, our opponents depend upon your silence or apathy.
We will never have a better chance to refresh our club and to restore our rightful place in the game. We have to demonstrate our ambition and determination.

REMEMBER:

OUR CITY - OUR FUTURE - OUR CLUB

Call Y'self an Evertonian? Prove it.

Dear ............................

Over the next few months a decision of great importance will be taken for the city of Liverpool and the North West region as a whole with respect to the development plans for the Kings Waterfront site, one of the finest waterfront development areas in Europe.

The planning brief for the Kings Dock development from English Partnerships requested a "world-class facility" and the Liverpool Vision framework calls for a "major attraction of international significance". Liverpool City Council Leader Mike Storey echoed this recently saying the site "deserves a stunning development". I believe only the Houston Securities bid, including Everton Football Club and SFX, meets the stated aims of English Partnerships, Liverpool Vision and Liverpool City Council.

This bid is centred around a multi-purpose year-round Arena that will serve everyone throughout the region and, indeed, nationally, drawing acts and events that might otherwise not come to Britain at all or only ever visit London. It is complementary to the history, culture and commercial needs of the city and builds upon things for which the city enjoys a positive global reputation. Liverpool is known as a city of music and sport - this bid plays to those strengths whilst holding out the prospect of much more besides. The Arena could become home to a month long 'Proms North', a major EU / UN conference, the 3 tenors, a European cup final - the possibilities are endless. The Arena truly could and should be the jewel in the cultural crown of Liverpool's 800th birthday celebrations in 2007 and its bid to be European City of Culture 2008.

It is the only bid that is led by a major local concern (Everton FC), and that is a vitally important point for many residents (and not just for the estimated 250,000 fans of the club in the city and its immediate environs or the 500,000+ supporters nationwide). A recent poll on the local papers showed that this bid enjoys overwhelming popular support amongst the people of the city. Everton FC needs to be given this opportunity if one of the city's oldest, and most loved institutions is not to risk decline and permanent obscurity. This is a risk that many local people see as mirroring the fate of the city as a whole. If one of the other uninspired and formulaic bids is chosen Liverpool will have missed its golden opportunity for inner-city regeneration and severely damaged a club held dear to the hearts of at least half the local electorate. It will be seen as the city turning its back on its own, neglecting its historic successes and dismissing the passionate wishes and interests of the people. Forgiveness for those individuals and organisations involved is likely to be in short supply.

Regrettably some of the other recent developments in the area are regarded by many locals and visitors alike as either eyesores (e.g. the custom's building) or simply not noteworthy. This is a golden opportunity to redress this and to give a site of such unique importance and merit a true international landmark for its centrepiece - enhancing Liverpool's magnificent waterfront and ensuring it international fame to compete with e.g. Sydney. This bid offers a 'palace' on the waterfront that truly carries the torch into the future for an area that was historically of such crucial commercial and cultural significance for the nation.

I want Liverpool to be able to shrug off the unfair negative image it has and stand tall and proud again on the world stage. I genuinely believe the Houston Securities bid, and this bid alone, can be a catalyst for the kind of urban regeneration, sustainable wealth creation and surge in civic pride that we would all like to see.

I hope that you can see the unique opportunity the Houston Securities bid offers to the city, the region and indeed the nation as a magnificent venue for cultural attractions, European conferences and major international sporting events. We await and expect your full and active support.

Yours sincerely...........................,

Below are the email addresses of the prominent players. Please help your Everton by writing or emailing them.

Addresses