http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/clubNewsDetail/0,,10284~1346828,00.html

AFC PLEDGE TO UNDERWRITE KEY STAGE OF THE ARENA

 

PROJECT FEASIBILITY

 

The bid to find the most appropriate site for a new community football stadium will continue, after Aberdeen Football Club agreed to underwrite the Council's share of the business case and concept design stages, the key part of the detailed feasibility study that is yet to be awarded.

 

The move follows the decision today by Aberdeen City Council to review spending on capital projects.

 

The Arena Project Team, which was set up to spearhead the search for a new stadium, is a joint partnership between Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen Football Club.

 

A feasibility study is currently being carried out to look into the two designated sites - the Kings' Links near AberdeenBeach and Loirston Loch, Nigg - toanalyse the deliverability of each location.

 

Business leaders in Aberdeen have pledged their support to the building of a new community stadium.

 

Chief Executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Geoff Runcie, said it is crucial to maintain the current progress of the Arena Project.

 

"A community stadium is a key piece of the region's future economic ambitions.It is consistent with the ACSEF manifesto and delivery plan which were set out last month", he said.

 

"Given the lead in time for a project of this kind, the feasibility study will make very good business and planning sense.It is a case of 'the sooner, the better' with progress of a purpose build community stadium for the City".

 

Managing Director of Aberdeen Football Club, Duncan Fraser, stressed that it was essential that the drive to find a new community stadium should continue.

 

"With the start of the feasibility study we are now really starting to push forward with the Arena Project and discuss how various key partners can get involved and it is vital for Aberdeen Football Club that we don't lose this momentum", he said.

 

"As the Council is reviewing expenditure on capital projects, we have taken the decision to underwrite the business case and concept design work, which is being tendered at the moment and follows the award last week of the environmental and transport assessments as part of the feasibility process.

 

This decision by the Club should enable the full feasibility study to be completed by the turn of the year.

 

"There is a very strong feeling amongst the fans, business leaders, sports organisations and the general public that Aberdeen needs to have a community stadium.The redevelopment of Pittodrie is not an option so it is absolutely crucial that we continue to look at the deliverability of these two sites.

 

Good news

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/clubNewsDetail/0,,10284~1346828,00.html

Good news

 

D'you think so ? Sounds like 'fuck, the council have all but pulled the plug on thsi project due to the economic climate so we better throw some money over to keep the bastard thing alive or our fans will go ape' to me. Sounds a bit like giving CPR to a guy that just got cut in half. 

This is no news at all.

 

The club still has no new stadium.

 

The club has no money to build a new stadium.

 

The council isn't going to build the club a new stadium.

 

There are no investors waiting to build us a new stadium.

 

At this point all the feasibility studies in the word aren't going to make a pot of money appear with which to fund a new stadium.  So the club can underwrite the cost of this feasibility study if it wants... doesn't make one fuck of a difference.

 

One thing the club is good at is talking about what it's going to do.

 

Another thing the club is good at is not doing what it was talking about doing.

 

 

Why do we need new stadium?

D'you think so ? Sounds like 'fuck, the council have all but pulled the plug on thsi project due to the economic climate so we better throw some money over to keep the bastard thing alive or our fans will go ape' to me. Sounds a bit like giving CPR to a guy that just got cut in half. 

 

Agree sounds like a club desperately trying to cover up fact that stadium plan is as good as dead.

Why do we need new stadium?

 

We need to move to sell the ground to clear the debt within 4 years when bank, Aberdeen Asset Trust and SMG all come looking for there money.

Why do we need new stadium?

 

Aren't all the stands(except the RDS) aren't into after 2012 or something. Thats why we need another stadium.

Aren't all the stands(except the RDS) aren't into after 2012 or something. Thats why we need another stadium.

the main stand had a shelf life of 5 years.......10years ago

Aren't all the stands(except the RDS) aren't into after 2012 or something. Thats why we need another stadium.

 

good night was it andrew?

If only our chairman was a multi millionaire, building a construction tycoon..... we can but dream.

Aren't all the stands(except the RDS) aren't into after 2012 or something. Thats why we need another stadium.

 

good night was it andrew?

 

Think somebody should have called an ambulance for him 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems to represent a ridiculous waste of money.

 

If the Council can't afford to contribute to the feasibility study, it sure as hell won't be able to spunk £20m odd on a brand new stadium for us to rent. At the moment, our entire business model for the new stadium is premised upon the Council spending a huge amount of money to build it, with us chipping in whatever we can (ie. profits from sale of Pittodrie etc).

 

Given that the Council clearly isn't in any sort of a position to be spending £20 - let alone £20m - on a construction luxury for what is (in legal terms anyway) a private interest, there seems little point in pushing ahead with this.

 

Over the long-term (which we now have to consider, given the Council's precarious finances) feasibility studies like this get outdated very quickly.

 

As far as I can see, our latest stadium plans are now keeping the Bellfield Farm/Kingswells plans company at the bottom of a dark, dusty drawer in a dark, dusty room in the bowels of Pittodrie, never to be seen again.

 

All we can do now is pin our hopes on Euro 2016, and we all know that that ain't going to happen.

Can't remember where I read it but someone said that due to the way the stadium would be financed the club and council would only have to pay about £4M up front

Can't remember where I read it but someone said that due to the way the stadium would be financed the club and council would only have to pay about £4M up front

 

I'd be very sceptical about figures like that. A brand-new stadium for £8m? No major construction firm is going to agree to that if the overall cost is (as has previously been estimated) £30m-40m.

 

good night was it andrew?

 

 

Think somebody should have called an ambulance for him 

 

 

:lolabove:

I'd be very sceptical about figures like that. A brand-new stadium for £8m? No major construction firm is going to agree to that if the overall cost is (as has previously been estimated) £30m-40m.

 

rest would essentially be paid by a mortgage. You don't think we are actually going to pay £50M upfront for a stadium do you?

rest would essentially be paid by a mortgage. You don't think we are actually going to pay £50M upfront for a stadium do you?

 

Given the bank would not let us keep our existing level of debt last year when we had to get loans from Aberdeen Asset Management Trust and SMG to reduce the level of debt I cannot see them allowing us 5 times the debt.