Dons chiefs are ploughing ahead with major Pittodrie upgrades, after a “realisation” over the time and money needed to build a new stadium.
At last night’s AGM, chairman Dave Cormack revealed that plans for a new home have been shelved, as the club remain in a deadlock with Aberdeen City Council over its funding.
It comes as the value of the Pittodrie site, which it’s thought would have been sold for housing, dramatically decreases – meaning Aberdeen FC would not get “the best deal” for it.
And chief executive Alan Burrows also committed to major upgrades to Pittodrie.
Amid the uncertainty over the proposed seaside relocation, he said the club’s historic home is likely to be the Dons’ base for “a number of years”.
Why are Dons moving away from beach stadium plans?
Building a potential replacement for Pittodrie at Aberdeen Beach was touted as a key part of the council’s ambitious seafront masterplan when the proposals were launched.
But the project has since descended into a stalemate as Dons bosses and the local authority remain at odds over who should pay for it.
In 2022, a new stadium was priced at £80 million with Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce forecasting it would add an extra £20m a year to the city economy.
But Mr Cormack revealed that a list of factors including Covid construction inflation, the decreasing value of the land and a change in council leadership have left the club taking a “period of time to re-evaluate its options”.
The council’s pause on phase two of the beach masterplan work was also a factor, with any future development that would include the ground left in limbo.
Pittodrie to be Dons’ home for ‘a number of years’
With Dons chiefs coming to the conclusion that the possibility of a new stadium any time soon is highly unlikely, they have committed to splashing the cash on Pittodrie.
Speaking after the AGM, Mr Burrows said that the board acknowledged the need to invest in their current home as “the likelihood is we will be here for a period of time yet”.
However the chief executive was hesitant to delve deeper into what these upgrades would entail.
Mr Burrows said: “Without getting too het up on specifics, there’s a commitment to modernise areas of Pittodrie.
“To improve and enhance not only the experience supporters have, but also how we can further utilise and enhance our revenues that come from that.”
However one upgrade which was teased by the Dons’ chief executive was the possibility of safe standing within the Red Shed.
He said the club were “absolutely open” to the idea which has seen success across the country including at Celtic, Hibernian and Kilmarnock’s grounds.
So why has Pittodrie sale been ruled out amid shelved Dons stadium plans?
The Dons’ plan had been to use millions gained from the sale of the Pittodrie site to help cover the costs of its replacement.
It had been thought the land may be used for housing.
An Aberdeen FC spokeswoman confirmed that these financial factors had played a part.
She said: “We have to assume that should we sell Pittodrie in the current depressed property market, we would not get the best value for it.
“Getting the best possible price for Pittodrie is a key part of us being able to fund a new stadium.”
Council should ‘recognise what an asset Dons are’
While plans for homes there have secured permission, this will be revised only “if” the club is “in a position to sell”.
The spokeswoman added: “Given neither the plans for Kingsford nor the beachfront are likely to proceed in the short to medium term, we will be investing in improvements to the stadium and its facilities.
“This is in addition to the £500k we’ve already invested in the last 12-18 months.”
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Conservative group leader on Aberdeen City Council, Richard Brooks, urged chiefs to meet with the Dons and work out a deal for a new stadium at the beach.
He warned that the beach masterplan would “stutter and stall” unless officials “recognise what an asset the club is to the city”.
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