ABERDEEN have announced that they have over half the £10million funding in place for the first phase of the proposed £50m Kingsford development.
That money would go towards building a new community sports hub and training academy ahead of the planned construction of a state-of-the-art 20,000 capacity new stadium six miles to the west of the city.
Pledges from Aberdeen director Dave Cormack, who is handing over £1m from his family trust, Mike Loggie, chief executive of shirt sponsors Saltire Energy, Bert McIntosh and other local businessmen have set the club on the way to hitting their initial target.
And should planning permission be granted by councillors next month, Aberdeen insist they will be ready to start work immediately on the plans.
Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne said: “We're incredibly grateful to these individuals for their generosity.
“I'm confident that, if we secure a positive planning decision in October, the bulk of the remainder of the funding for this exciting phase will be in place by the end of the year.
“The overall proposal represents a £50m private-sector investment. The club is fortunate to be in a very robust financial position with no debt and, as such, we are confident we can achieve our fund-raising targets.”
US-based software entrepreneur Cormack, who made a substantial investment in the club in June, said: “My wife, Fiona, and I have been blessed financially and we are pleased to be able to play a role in delivering an exciting legacy for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire at Kingsford.
“It’s important to stress that the funds from our Foundation are being gifted to the AFC Community Trust.
“They are only available for facilities which will benefit the wider community and not linked in any way to my own investment in Aberdeen Football Club.
"At Kingsford, the club has the capacity to bring its on-the-pitch and off-the-pitch operations together, to create a sporting campus with the opportunity for facilities which not only benefit the club but the local community as well."
Long-term Aberdeen sponsor Loggie said: "With the new training facilities at Kingsford, AFC will be able to attract, develop and retain today's and tomorrow's talent to ensure the long-term success of our club which impacts positively on our whole region."
Meanwhile, Dundee are considering including a safe standing area in their proposed new stadium.
The Dark Blues have produced initial plans for a 15,000-capacity ground on the west of the city, with hundreds of fans taking part in a public consultation on Friday.
A formal planning application is expected to be submitted to Dundee City Council in December and is set to include housing, a hotel, retail units and a crematorium, as well as training facilities for the club and community.
And, with some supporters voicing their preference for a safe-standing section like the one at Celtic Park, the architects involved in the project have revealed it is something they are "actively considering".
Concerns have been raised about access to the site next to Camperdown Park and opposition supporters have already poked fun at the inclusion of a crematorium in the scheme.
However, club bosses have indicated they need the non-football developments to allow the flit to happen.
A statement read: “The decision to move from the club’s historic home at Dens is not being taken lightly, but is based on a growing awareness of the present and future limitations of the existing facilities at Dens Park, and their inability to support the evolving needs of a modern football club.
“The ideas outlined also reflect a need to anchor any proposals in a financial reality, whereby the creation of a new stadium cannot occur in economic isolation, but must be supported by a robust and diverse range of income-generating activities.”
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