Now *that's* what you call a planning application: Aberdeen Arena

[Part/Time Supporter]

In fairness, Hibs first made a planning application for a new East Stand >10 years ago. They could be testing the water, or getting that problem sorted before getting everything else in place, or even just waiting for market conditions to change.

It would be a bit of a pain for AFC to carefully get the money in place for such a project and then find that they couldn't get permission for it, ie if it ended up in planning hell, along with that bypass that's never been built.

[EasterRoad4Ever]

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Well Plan A was to call it a Community Stadium and get the council to pay.
Plan B is............erm............nope, I haven't heard a word. Nice plans in a 'here's what you could have won' kind of style though..

Hmmm, like the councils are going to have buckets of money in the next few years

[Lucius Apuleius]

All they need to do is find a sympathetic Roughneck or ROV operator who works offshore to loosen a valve. Big oil spill, Cooncil sue whichever oil company and bingo, lots of money.

Simples.

[Sandy]

Good luck to them. I left Aberdeen City Council to come out here, and I can confirm they are totally rooked, they were making IT (and other) staff redundant, no chance of the council helping them out. The money could well come from Donald Trump as part of the deal for the golf course

[s.a.m]

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This could finish the Dons off. They will be lucky to get 6 or 7k out there. The Aberdeen fans dont want it, there will be no pubs or nothing.

Plenty grazing ground though.

[Caversham Green]

The reason they have to move out of Pittodrie is that they have loans plus "rolled-up" interest totalling around £12m that has to be repaid by 10 March 2011 (or the earlier sale of the stadium). They could try to re-finance like the yams did this year with their £17.6m, but they will find it quite difficult I would imagine. It's quite conceivable that they will be homeless after March, although their fixture list would suggest that they have the problem covered.

Hibs will have to find £2m by 2020 to repay a similar loan (although the interest is being paid rather than accrued).

[Hibby Kay-Yay]

why not just groundshare with Caley or County

[Criswell]

I read recently that the proposed new stadium would a have a bigger pitch so that Aberdeen could attract internationals. Makes you feel kinda smug that we have already got that!

[mc5-the-don]

Since the most recent application and new plans came out, the mood amongst the supporters is shifting. If the proposed shuttle services work (buses ever 2-3 mins before and after game), I don't see the locaton being a problem.

The location isn't actually in the middle of nowhere - it's on the edge of the city and only about 10 min drive from city centre, when the traffic is light. There are plans for housing on the same location (no doubt being built be Stewart Milne), which will bring pubs and shops. There is also going to be a large supporters bar located in the stadium (in the large glass corner bit you can see).

I think crowds will go up, initially. The novelty and experience of going somewhere better than our current home will see a lot of interest from lapsed supporters.

As for financing it? This has never been made entirely clear, but I don't believe the plans would be getting pushed through if it couldn't be financed. I think SMG (acting for Aberdeen) plan to build flats on the site of Pittodrie, with sale profits going back to Aberdeen. A few wealthy businessmen may also be making contributions....not sure if Trump is one of those