Huddersfield Giants owner Ken Davy has revealed the mounting costs he and the club face in their search for a new stadium, with an update provided on the club’s “favourite spot” to build their new home.
Davy is looking to move the Giants away from their current home at the John Smith’s Stadium with the owner previously conceding that it is and has always been too big for the club, meaning they’re unable to generate an atmosphere.
One thing he has been adamant about in his search to find land to build a new stadium on is that the Giants must remain in Huddersfield, however, it’s expected that they will play at Halifax’s The Shay Stadium in 2026 or until their new stadium is complete.
Appearing on Sky Sports’ The Bench podcast, Davy discussed plans for 2026 and the new stadium, whilst also confirming the club’s preferred location and the roadblocks that lay in wait.
“Not guilty, at the moment,” responded Davy when it was put to him that Huddersfield would be playing at The Shay in 2026.
“The fact is we don’t know. Our objective, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is to build a new, smaller stadium for the Giants in Huddersfield.”
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Continuing his response, Davy explained: “We can stay here (John Smith’s Stadium) for the next 100 years. We’re not being forced out, but the reality is if we want the atmosphere that I want to get and our fans want to share in, we need a smaller stadium.
“We need that in Huddersfield. We’ve had four sites that we have tried to get planning permission and approvals for, and we’ve failed on all four occasions.
“We haven’t given up, but it’s been incredibly frustrating, and it’s expensive. We’re into six figure spending on the analysis, the surveys, the applications, and all of that. It’s just been money down the drain.”
The preferred location for a new stadium is the disused gasworks site which is very close to the John Smith’s Stadium, however, the local council could prevent that.
Davy revealed: “We’re revisiting our favourite spot at the moment, which is the gasworks site. Kirklees Council is reluctant to allow us to have a stadium there, as they’re looking for an investment zone with higher employment and higher salaries. Mind you, you can’t get much higher salaries than rugby players. At the moment, that investment zone is ruling the roost.”
Arguing why that site would work, Davy said: “Frankly, I believe that we could exist really well within that investment zone. I think we could support it because we would have the sporting facilities, gyms and things like that, that people need.
“We’d also be very close to the University of Huddersfield. I have a very good relationship with them, they’re a very good university. There are so many positives to the site, it was turned down over two years ago but we’re having another go.”
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