Breaking News - New Stadium and Training Facilities

[Aldo1983]

The worst thing I saw there was the bin in the bog was knocked over

Is that a euphemism?

[fatshaft]

Arnhall - I'm not aware the club have permission from anyone to park in these private car parks - do you know differently?

Yes, they already have permission for 600 spaces and are working on others.

[fatshaft]

If we then saddle a huge mortgage to the place while building it, I can see the crowds dipping badly.

Totally agree. I see fans leaving in droves when they see the size of our mortgage, it'll be at the very forefront of their thoughts, indeed we'll be taunted by away fans relentlessly - "big ****ing mortgage, you've got a big ****ing mortgage..."

[afc1903mad]

I have kept every quiet on this over last few months and dare say it has been talked to death on here already, but what are the alternatives here.

We are moaning about the lack of facilities around the new ground, but in the unlikelihood that we are going to pay city centre land prices, this will be the case with any location we move to. We are told Pittodrie is too expensive to maintain in its current state and would cost too much to redevelop, plus planning would also have to get through loads of red tape, so moving is IMO the only sensible option.

Building the same stadium we plan to at Kingsford anywhere near the city centre, will cost even more money. Planning applications of that size near a city centre location will unlikely get approval from the Councillors, that’s a fact and it would cost the club a fortune too. Commercial land rates in Aberdeen are very high and we would need a multi acre site to host such a development, so the costs will be astronomical. The Shires commercial land rates are lower, with less red tape on sites on the outskirts of towns, hence why it is being explored by the club.

Like a lot of people, Im not overly happy with everything about this Aurora project, particularly the potential debt, but knowing the in’s and out’s of Planning at a local government body, I can assure you that its likely the best and cheapest option on the table at the present time. Other sites explored were Blackdog and a site not too far from Portlethen, but they weren’t seen as desirable by the council from the get-go.

We either get behind the project, or spend many more years at a crumbling stadium with more money being wasted on fixing a wreck, chasing new stadium locations and getting planning applications through.

I myself cant see any other option.

You should speak more often

[Aldo1983]

Totally agree. I see fans leaving in droves when they see the size of our mortgage, it'll be at the very forefront of their thoughts, indeed we'll be taunted by away fans relentlessly - "big ****ing mortgage, you've got a big ****ing mortgage..."

Do you know how much of a difference a huge debt would make to the playing budget?

[rico94]

Do you know how much of a difference a huge debt would make to the playing budget?

I would imagine we would go back to signing the same quality of players like D'Jaffo,Chalali,Stephen Hughes etc with a huge debt hanging over us.

[Mason89]

I would imagine we would go back to signing the same quality of players like D'Jaffo,Chalali,Stephen Hughes etc with a huge debt hanging over us.

Think of the difference that state of the art training facilities could make to D’Jaffo though

[azazel]

Do you know how much of a difference a huge debt would make to the playing budget?

For that to be relevant we really need accurate figures for how much we currently spend on Pittodrie and how much the mortgage will be on the new stadium. Without those two figures it's impossible to say what effect a new stadium would have on the playing budget. Debt isn't bad in itself if it's to be repaid at a manageable level and if that level isn't too different from the current maintenance costs then why should we automatically be worse off?

[Pacman1903]

I would imagine we would go back to signing the same quality of players like D'Jaffo,Chalali,Stephen Hughes etc with a huge debt hanging over us.

And Neil McFarlanes? yaaaaaas I hope so

[Stupie82]

And Neil McFarlanes? yaaaaaas I hope so

Do we honestly think a new stadium and facilities is going to take us back to the days of D'Jaffo and Mcfarlenes? that had very little to do with training facilities or lack of, and everything to do with bad decisions on signings. Even with a manageable debt, its up to the manager to make good signings and training facilities will help both attract and develop footballers. Seems to me there is a lot of cynicism even if it disguised as jest. As i have said above, the club has very little other options.