Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has hailed the city council’s “approach to thinking big” over its plans for a new stadium at the beach.
Earlier this year the Evening Express revealed the Dons were in talks with Aberdeen City Council over whether to potentially scrap its new ground at Kingsford and remain close to its historic home of Pittodrie.
At the beginning of March, the local authority included a new stadium as part of plans for a £150 million regeneration of the city centre and beach area.
Planning permission for the Kingsford site was granted in 2018 and although a training ground opened there the following year, work on the stadium stalled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And the club said earlier this year it was open to the prospect of rethinking its plans.
In a live Q&A session with supporters, Mr Cormack said: “We have a fantastic natural asset at the beach. I commend the council for developing TECA [P&J Live], which will be a real asset to the economy when we come out of this [pandemic].
“A similar approach to thinking big for the beach renovation is to be applauded as well.
“From a club perspective, we welcome Aberdeen City Council’s recognition of our major role within the community and our contribution to the local economy, as evidenced by its proposals for the new stadium to be part of this regeneration of the beach area.
“As a club we are keen, along with other stakeholders, to see what part we can play in this.
“It’s important to stress that the site at the beach was not available to us when we sought planning permission for Kingsford.”
A possible site for the new stadium is the site of the Doubletree Hotel, which closed last year amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The complex could also include a leisure centre and a new home for extreme sports centre Transition.
Mr Cormack added the club may consider a share or bond issue to help fund a new ground, while further funding could also come from the council.
Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden said: “It’s good to hear Aberdeen Football Club are thinking the same way as us and are thinking big about the regeneration of the beach area.
“We will carry on talking to the club to see if we can put something together that suits both parties and keeps the football club down in the beach area.”