The report says £80m would be generated from new construction activity around the Strand stadium, creating almost 400 jobs in the sector
The local economy would benefit £20million a year if Aberdeen’s beachfront stadium is built, according to a new report.
Aberdeen received approval in 2019 for a site adjacent to its Kingsford training complex, six miles from the centre.
But the City Council then proposed plans to incorporate the new stadium into a facility adjacent to the Beach Ballroom, less than 1,000 yards from Pittodrie.
The report states that the new community stadium and leisure complex would directly support 260 sustainable jobs.
The report released on Thursday, prepared by the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce and MKA Economics, was jointly commissioned by Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen Football Club.
Along with an additional £1bn boost to the economy from an additional £20m over the next 50 years, the report suggests that visitor numbers would increase by more than 17m over that period.
Pittodrie generates around 400,000 visits each year, but the report suggests that bigger and better facilities could attract an additional 350,000 visitors a year for major events alone.
The Dons are looking to leave their current home of Pittodrie but say new ground will not be delivered until the 2025-26 season at the earliest.
Proposals for the new stadium on the city’s beach were endorsed by fans in a club poll with 92% of the more than 6,500 respondents supporting the changed location.
“Results show that successful renewal projects need a core. This is one of the reasons Aberdeen City Council has approached us to remain in the city with a stadium that would be a catalyst for the full-scale revitalization of the beach and its connection with the city centre,” said Dave Cormack, Chairman of Aberdeen.
“A new sea-facing Zero Stadium would increase the required footfall to enable beach regeneration, including a potential city park, beach ballroom renovation and the creation of world-class leisure facilities.
“The economic report clearly demonstrates the club’s ability to be of significant benefit to Aberdeen, including being an excellent partner in the community.”
Plans for a new £50m, 20,000-seat stadium in Kingsford were legally approved in March 2019
“Aberdeen cannot afford to lose the club from the city,” said Fergus Mutch, political adviser to the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
“Aberdeen FC’s continued presence in our city center becomes more critical by the day as uncertainty mounts over the future of two of our shopping centers and Union Street continues to deteriorate.
“Public finances are being squeezed like never before, but we need to invest in capital projects like this that will improve our city and ensure our future prosperity.”
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