A meeting was held at the Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK) recently.
‘ABERDEEN FOOTBALL CLUB’ stated that the meeting was helmed by the Scottish professional football club Aberdeen F.C. Chairman Dave Cormack and was attended by the political heavyweights.
The Aberdeen Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK). They compete in the Scottish Premiership and have never been relegated from the top division of the Scottish football league system since they were elected to the top flight in 1905.
The 19,274-capacity Pittodrie Stadium, commonly referred to as the Pittodrie from which the surrounding residential area has taken its name, is an all-seater stadium in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK). Used primarily for football it has been the home ground of the Aberdeen F.C. since they were formed in 1903.
‘ABERDEEN FOOTBALL CLUB’ further stated that the meeting focused on a new independent economic report prepared by BiGGAR Economics, Scotland’s leading economic consultancy, which has a prestigious client list including the Scottish Government itself.
BiGGAR Economics is Scotland’s leading economic consultancy. Established in 2002, the team of 20 professionals provides economic analysis and advice for the leading companies, the industry organizations, the universities, the Governments and the local Government across Europe.
Key Takeaways:
- Additional £1.6 billion long-term economic impact over 50 years doubling the Aberdeen F.C.’s current contribution to £3.2 billion;
- New community stadium at the Aberdeen Beach, the catalyst for the Aberdeen F.C. contributing a further £32 million of Gross Value Added (GVA) every year and creating 700 new jobs;
- £42 million boost in economic activity throughout construction thus supporting 618 local jobs;
- Positioning Aberdeen to host international sports and an annual elite youth football tournament with the potential to bring tens of thousands to the City every year generating up to £50 million annually;
- Engaging with the Scottish Rugby Union (the governing body for rugby union in Scotland) to host one-off international fixtures to include age group Boys and Girls, Men and Women in Aberdeen;
- An additional 110,000 annual visitors through international events and new leisure facilities including revitalizing the loss-making Beach Ballroom (event venue in Aberdeen);
- Three hundred and thirty (330) jobs in sport and leisure plus major social returns through the AFC Community Trust (proven model of £1 of investment creating £10 of social value);
- Addressing Aberdeen’s ever-widening shortage of 4G community pitches currently half the per-capita level of Glasgow through new investment; and
- The Aberdeen FC commits to funding its share of a new community stadium via a 99-year lease enabling the Council to borrow capital at much lower interest rates while receiving a significant long-term income stream from the club.
A new, multisport community stadium at Aberdeen Beach would inject at least £1.6 billion into the local economy over the next 50 years, according to a new report from the leading and reputable independent economic consultancy BiGGAR Economics.
The Aberdeen F.C. commissioned new, more in-depth research into the catalytic impact of the project in a bid to secure the political will and ambition to get it back on track.
Investment in a new community stadium and facilities, including new 4G pitches at the Cormack Park (the Aberdeen F.C.’s state-of-the-art training and community facility) would enable the club to address the shortfall of the all-weather community pitches in Aberdeen where initial research reveals that there is only one community pitch for every 10,000 people as opposed to Glasgow which boasts one for every 5,000 of the population.
A modern community stadium will increase visitor attendance. Pittodrie currently generates around 400,000 visits to Aberdeen every year supporting spending in the City Centre. This project would bring an additional 110,000 visitors per year to events at the new stadium.
It would strengthen the City’s sport and leisure sector with an opportunity to add 330 jobs to the sector’s workforce.
Averred Andrea Carlo Magnaghi of BiGGAR Economics, “This report shows how a new community stadium at Aberdeen’s beachfront could be the catalyst for best-in-class sports and leisure facilities, new events and economic impact for the whole City region. Our analysis reveals it will create new jobs and generate additional income into the economy through new construction activity, increasing footfall, retaining and increasing local spend in the City, encouraging the growth of the existing businesses and the creation of the new ones, and attracting the new visitors.”
Significant economies of scale can be achieved by adjacent community sports and leisure facilities. Using the club’s state-of-the-art systems, processes and event management experience would transform the civic loss-making community recreation and sports facilities and augment the work of AFC’s Community Trust in successfully using football to deliver positive social outcomes, particularly among the young people, in education, physical and mental well-being.
Asserted Dave Cormack, “The opportunity exists to lean into the club’s unique reach, influence and ability to catalyze the delivery of community sports and leisure activities that can rival anything the other Cities can offer and more. Aberdeen thrives when communities and partners collaborate to shape an ambitious vision for the City’s future. While public finances are under considerable pressure it is essential that we invest in capital projects that secure long-term prosperity by generating significant returns and, importantly, encourage businesses and individuals to continue choosing Aberdeen as a place to invest, live, work, and play.”
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