Barry Hearn is set for more meetings with Sheffield City Council over their plans for the Crucible Theatre.

The venue has hosted the World Championship since 1977 but its 980-seat capacity has provided a hindrance for revenues over the past few years.

China and Saudi Arabia have been linked with bidding for the hosting rights for the World Championship when the Crucible’s deal ends in 2027.

“We all want to stay here but it has to be a combination,” Hearn told the BBC.

“I am a little bit more hopeful after meeting Sheffield Council – the positivity and the enthusiasm I saw makes me think there is more than enough chance we can stay here.

“Sheffield have got a lot of ideas, we’re going to meet in three months and we’re working to an agenda of knowing more or less where we are by the end of this year.

“Obviously if we do move – and it’s not something we want to do, I keep stressing that – we need two years to get it planned properly.”

He added: “My life changed at the Crucible in 1981 when Steve Davis won the World Championship. I’ve been here every year for the past 48 years.

“Our heart is here, our life is here, the history is here. I think compromise is in the air on both sides and we can do something that maintains the event here and at the same time produces much needed finance to go back to the players.

“We’ve just got to find that additional bit of assistance, which hopefully is going to be government-led, in terms of keeping our events in this country. Sheffield is the ideal home for snooker.”