Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack is determined to deliver a new stadium at the beach but admits finding the finances to cover the cost will be a challenge.
The Dons secured planning permission to build a new stadium at Kingsford on the outskirts of the city in 2018 but have now turned their attention to a new site on the beachfront following discussions with Aberdeen City Council.
The outline business case for the new proposal is due to go before the council in June but Cormack admits rising costs will make it tougher to turn the club’s desire for a new home fit for the 21st century into a reality.
In an interview on RedTV, he said the cost “to build a quality stadium” would be £70m-£75m due to construction inflation.
He said: “Two things keep me awake at night – performances on the pitch as I’m like a regular fan and how we solve this issue (funding the stadium).
“We can build a basic stadium for a lot less. We have employed some of the best people who do new stadiums in terms of evaluating what we should have and what the turnover can be.
“But if we want to have a quality stadium where we can uplift our income by £3million or £4million per year because we have better facilities then that is what it is going to take.
“It is five years since we thought it would be £45million to build the stadium.
“During which the construction inflation has risen, particularly due to Covid over the past two years, but also due to the cost of timber, steel and labour.
“We have to look at the cost of the land we get at Pittodrie.
“The opportunity to build a stadium at the beach was never there before.
“In my opinion, this is the best relationship Aberdeen Football Club has had with Aberdeen City Council.”
Cormack believes a new stadium at Aberdeen as part of the City Centre Masterplan would help regenerate the beachfront.
He said: “We need to as a city make a significant investment in the city centre to get people living there again because a lot of the retail stores won’t come back.
“The plans are out there.
“The football club is a significant factor economically in anything the council does at the beach.
“We are in the midst of going through a detailed business case ourselves and with the city council as to what gets built and when it gets built.
“We have said all along we want this to be a net zero stadium.
“There are significant infrastructure grants from the UK Government and the Scottish Government.
“We could be the first club in Europe to have a net zero stadium.
“Aberdeen is moving from the old fossil fuel economy of oil to being hopefully the renewable energy capital of the world.
“It is important the stadium is part of that process.
“I am out there trying to raise investment associated with the development as well.
“I’m up for it and I will give it my best shot.
“I do think that being at the beach is absolutely critical.”