Top councillors set to agree terms for stadium transfer

The Keepmoat Stadium was built by Doncaster Council at a cost of £32m and when it opened in 2007 it was predicted it would make a small annual profit of around £300,000.

But the Stadium Management Company, which was set up the authority to take responsibility for the venue, has never made money, and its total losses now run to around £2.1m.

Doncaster Council agreed to hand over the stadium to Doncaster Rovers, which uses it as a home ground, in May after finance bosses said the cash flow situation was unsustainable.

Under the deal, Rovers will pay the council, which will retain ownership of the stadium, £100,000 a year for a 99-year lease, and take responsibilty for upkeep.

However, the council will continue to lose money on the deal for a further nine years because of a clause over naming rights, which leaves the authority liable for a bill of £90,000 a year and insurance costs of £75,000 a year it must pay because it is the landlord.

A number of other options were examined but rejected.

Staff who are currently employed by the Stadium Management Company will be transferred to similar roles at Doncaster Council.

Many of the stadium’s staff have taken redundancy.

It is thought that the final “sign-off” on the agreement will take place on August 11, in time for the start of the new season a week later.