Firoz Kassam
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Firoz Kassam (born 1955) is a British-based businessman. He is the former owner of Oxford United F.C. He was born in Tanzania of Indian parents and came to Britain as a student.
In the Sunday Times Rich List 2006 he was listed with an estimated fortune of £250 million.
Firoz Kassam made his fortune in the hotel trade in London, and in 1999 bought Oxford United F.C. for only £1, also taking over its debts, estimated to be in the region of £13m. In 2000 he started building a new 12,500 three sided stadium at Minchery Farm on the edge of Oxford, which he called the Kassam Stadium. The development includes a hotel, cinema, bowling alley, gym, health centre and restaurants. Oxford United played its first game there on 18 August 2001.
Oxford United's old home, the Manor Ground in Headington, was sold by Kassam, first to his own holding company for £6 million, and then to developers for £12 million in 1999. The ground has since been demolished and developed into the Manor Hospital, which opened in October 2004.
Firoz Kassam also owns the historic mansion and grounds of Heythrop Park which he purchased in 1999 for £15m. It has been developed into a luxury hotel with an 18-hole golf course and restored landscape gardens. In August 2005 he purchased Studley Castle in Warwickshire, a hotel and conference centre formerly owned by Phoenix Venture Holdings.
On 21 March 2006, Firoz Kassam sold Oxford United F.C. for approximately £2 million (including the club's debts) to Florida-based businessman Nick Merry. Firoz Kassam retained ownership of the stadium and other land and infrastructure at the site.
In February 2006, Firoz Kassam's Firoka company was announced as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Alexandra Palace in London. Subject to agreement of the charity commission, which has received 350 objections to the plans, and subject to possible legal challenges, he will gain a 125-year lease to develop a multi-use exhibition, leisure and entertainment complex. Kassam commented: "Our aim is to work with the Trustees of Alexandra Palace to make it London's leading venue for exhibitions, leisure and entertainment. Extensive refurbishment will take place to ensure the historic nature of the building is maintained while providing modern facilities to meet the demands of the leisure market. We are very excited about making our plans reality."
[edit] External links
- "Development threat to the palace, where television was born" (Independent article on development plans, 30 December 2006)
- Kassam OUT! (Not entirely complimentary site about Mr Kassam's time with Oxford United)
- "From slum landlord to Mr Ally Pally", Evening Standard (London), 2 February 2006.
- "Firoka One Step Closer To Securing Alexandra Palace"
- "TV studios under threat", 29 October 2006 (Account from MP about Firoz Kassam and future of TV studios)
