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Ken Davy, owner of the Huddersfield Giants, has expressed an interest in buying The Shay in Halifax as a temporary home for the Super League club amid plans for a new stadium.
The Shay currently serves as the home of National League football team Halifax Town and second-tier rugby league club Halifax Panthers. It has a capacity of around 10,000 and is owned by Calderdale Metropolitan Council.
The Giants currently share John Smith’s Stadium with League One football club Huddersfield Town, but have long struggled to attract strong attendances to the 24,500-capacity venue. In September, the Giants announced plans to develop a new stadium in Huddersfield, with Davy targeting an initial capacity of 7,500 to 8,000.
In an update to supporters, Davy has now said that if the Giants acquired The Shay, it would serve as a temporary home until any new stadium in Huddersfield could be built.
Davy added that The Shay would be “totally upgraded” to full Super League standards if the Giants were to purchase the stadium. This would involve enhanced supporter facilities, new floodlighting and a new pitch.
Huddersfield is located around eight miles from Halifax and Davy said that improved transport facilities would be provided for Giants fans if the temporary relocation goes ahead. The Giants would begin playing at the stadium in 2026.
In a statement, Calderdale Council said it has been discussing the future of The Shay with Halifax Town and Halifax Panthers, as well as “other interested parties”. The council agreed last year that it would stop running the stadium by April 1, 2025 to save £161,000 (€192,000/$198,000) per year and remove an additional annual cost of up to £500,000 to meet the venue’s health and safety requirements.
The council will consider two proposals for the future of the stadium during a cabinet meeting in March. The council confirmed that the first proposal will be put forward by Davy, while a second proposal has emerged from a group of Halifax Town supporters aiming to run the stadium.
The Shay would still be used by its two current tenants if the Giants moved in. If Davy’s proposal goes ahead, a new hybrid pitch would be fitted from this summer.
The FC Halifax Town supporters’ group’s initial proposal would require an ongoing financial commitment from the council, which has asked for more detailed information from the group.
Councillor Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s leader, said: “Major financial pressures mean we’re having to make tough budget decisions and can no longer run The Shay. In the proposals we’ve received to take on management of the stadium, we’ve seen great commitment to the future of Halifax and professional sports facilities. We will be considering all options thoroughly before making a decision in March 2025, once the proposals have been worked up in more detail.”
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