Redevelopment of Odsal Stadium could include Rugby League museum

And if the proposals by Bradford Council are successful, it would mean that West Yorkshire has two competing Rugby League Museums opening in the coming years.

Last month it was announced that Bradford Council was making a £50m bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to transform the Odsal site – home to Bradford Bulls.

As well as adding a roof to the stadium to allow it to host events such as concerts and boxing matches, the proposals include a a new Rugby league skills centre, park and ride car park, sports pitches, hotel and conference centre and solar farm.

And a report into the bid has now revealed that the plans could also include a rugby league museum.

The museum would be separate from the National Rugby League Museum planned for Huddersfield Town Centre – under half an hour’s drive away from Odsal.

Details of the bid will be discussed by Bradford Council’s Executive on Tuesday.

A report to the Executive says: “This bid unlocks an ambitious masterplan for Bradford South, using sport and culture as a catalyst to transform one of the most deprived areas in the country into an icon of sporting and cultural excellence.”

The original plan for the National Rugby League Museum was for it to be based in Bradford City Hall.

But in April 2020 the charity behind the museum – Rugby League Cares, announced it was looking for a new location for the attraction.

Kirklees Council successfully bid to be the new host of the museum, with the plan for it to be based in The George Hotel in Huddersfield – the birthplace of Rugby League.

But these plans were then changed by Kirklees Council, and the museum is now planned for a proposed new “cultural heart” in the town, with the George Hotel being refurbished and reopened as a hotel.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “The Odsal Levelling Up bid includes a number of ideas including a local rugby league museum which could tell the story of how the game developed and display some local memorabilia.

“The National Rugby League Museum is a separate project and remains off the table for Bradford.”