Aberdeen 'not looking for a handout' over new stadium, says chairman
- Published
Aberdeen are seeking a future away from their current home of Pittodrie
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has dismissed the notion the club "is looking for a handout" to help build a new seafront stadium.
A new ground is part of Aberdeen City Council's multi-million pound plans to redevelop the beachfront.
The stumbling block appears to be who will pay for it, with a recent report suggesting the Dons must find the funds for a standalone facility.
The proposals will be discussed by councillors later this week.
And Cormack said: "Our appeal past that meeting is for us to effectively form a working group to look at how we can actually pull this off.
"That is important, because we have been out with the council and talked to potential funding sources. But you can only really get into dialogue with these people when they ask the question, 'is the council totally behind this?' With recent press, that is up for debate."
Aberdeen were granted planning permission four-and-a-half years ago to build a new stadium at Kingsford on the western outskirts of the city.
Those plans have been put on the back burner to allow the club to explore the more recent option at the beach.
"We are willing to work with the council and whoever is there with the council," Cormack added following Monday's annual general meeting. "The council approached the football club about what they thought the club could do for the city by staying in the city centre.
"It is ludicrous that people think the club is looking for a handout. Why would we build an £80m, £90m community stadium when we could build a stadium at Kingsford for £50m.
"If we can bring, as a club, 38 million people to the stadium, which is almost double what it is at Pittodrie, over the next 50 years because it is a community stadium, and we can generate at least £1 billion of economic upside for the city, not for the club, it is compelling."
Our coverage of Aberdeen is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment