Warwickshire Members gathered at Edgbaston last night (24 April) for the Club's AGM – and heard of the Club’s ambitious plans to transform the stadium into a south Birmingham growth hub by 2030.
Around 100 Members assembled in the Warwickshire Suite for the Club’s 142nd Annual General Meeting.
They were updated on the Club’s blueprint to develop the stadium into a thriving sports, economic, residential and community hub in coming years.
That ambition received a huge boost recently with news the Club had secured a £19-million loan from West Midlands Combined Authority to redevelop the Raglan and Family Stands together with an integrated 157-bed, four-star hotel.
Chief Executive Stuart Cain also celebrated Warwickshire’s winning bid for one of eight fully professional women’s teams that will play in a new national structure from next season.
And he announced plans for the Club to develop a women’s high performance centre at the City End of the ground.
“First and foremost we’re a cricket club,” said Cain. “We will never forget our roots and the proud history of Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
“These are exciting times and the potential here is huge for us to become a year-round destination of choice for commercial, leisure, and community.
“We want to be the best cricket business in the world. These developments are progress towards that aim and will help us continue making significant investment in the Bears’ playing squad.
“By 2030, if not sooner, we’ll have a flourishing women’s professional team that’s on a par with the men. A Hundred team that’s bringing new audiences into the game who we hope will flow through into Blast and County Championship cricket.
“And we’ll have a modernised Edgbaston Stadium with a new hotel, stand and next phase of our Masterplan with new commercial and community facilities bringing jobs for local people and cementing Edgbaston a community hub.
“We’ve made solid foundations. We’re one of the best-selling ticket venues in the country, have good governance, built strong relationships in the community, and driven the agenda around inclusion and sustainability. There’s lots to be proud of.”
Cain also updated Members on plans for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred and the move to invite investor bids in the franchise later this year.
“Almost 600,000 people watched games in The Hundred last year on TV and in stadia,” he added. “More than 40% of ticket buyers were families and it’s reaching new audiences…the competition is helping grow the game.
“But those external investment bids will come with non-negotiable red lines for us. It’ll remain a short format, no longer than a month, we’ll insist on gender parity in the competition, and we’ll only partner with an investor who holds dear our values.
“Investment will be used to maintain the 18 First Class County structure, strengthen grassroots cricket, underpin the County Championship and develop young players through our youth pathways.”
Club Chair Mark McCafferty paid tribute to retiring Board members Naz Khan and Mike Wright, plus Jeremy Payne who steps down from the Members’ Committee, for their selfless long service to Warwickshire.
Richard Billingham and Ian Head were welcomed as new members of the Nominations and Members’ Committee, respectively, while Warwickshire great Dennis Amiss was unanimously re-elected as Club President for a second year.
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