Led by chairman Dave Cormack, Aberdeen Football Club hosted Aberdeen City Council leaders representing the four largest parties, Ian Yuill (Scottish Liberal Democrats), Christian Allard (Scottish National Party), Mohammad Tauqeer Malik (Scottish Labour) and Richard Brooks (Scottish Conservative and Unionist) at Pittodrie on Friday.

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.

Key Takeaways:

1. Additional £1.6 billion long-term economic impact over 50 years, doubling Aberdeen FC’s current contribution to £3.2 billion.

 

2. New community stadium at Aberdeen Beach, the catalyst for Aberdeen FC contributing a further £32 million of Gross Value Added (GVA) every year and creating 700 new jobs.

 

3. £42 million boost in economic activity throughout construction, supporting 618 local jobs.

 

4. 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.

 

5. Engaging with the Scottish Rugby Union to host one-off international fixtures, to include age group boys and girls, men and women in Aberdeen.

 

6. An additional 110,000 annual visitors through international events and new leisure facilities, including revitalising the loss-making Beach Ballroom.

 

7. 330 jobs in sport and leisure, plus major social returns through AFC Community Trust (proven model of £1 of investment creating £10 of social value).

 

8. Addressing Aberdeen’s ever-widening shortage of 4G community pitches, currently half the per-capita level of Glasgow, through new investment.

 

9. 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, multi-sports 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 leading and reputable independent economic consultancy, BiGGAR Economics.

Aberdeen FC 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.

The report reveals that a new multi-sports community stadium would generate an additional £32 million into the local economy every year, creating and safeguarding 1,170 jobs.

The new community stadium would double Aberdeen FC’s annual impact on the local economy from the £32 million it currently generates, to £64 million across the Aberdeen city region.

Construction of the project would further stimulate economic activity with a £42 million boost, supporting 618 jobs.

Investment in a new community stadium and facilities, including new 4G pitches at Cormack Park, would enable the Club to address the shortfall of 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.

This would also allow the Club to deliver an international youth football festival, modelled on the Gothia Cup, which brings 70,000 visitors to Gothenburg every year and generates over £50 million for the city. The initial economic benefit to Aberdeen of such a football festival has been estimated at £9 million per annum with the potential to grow substantially year on year.

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.

Andrea Carlo Magnaghi of BiGGAR Economics said: “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 existing businesses and the creation of new ones and attracting new visitors.”

A new community stadium would allow Aberdeen to become recognised as a leading promoter of professional sport and potential host for the SFA Scottish Women’s Cup Final and matches during the Women’s World Cup in 2035, other women’s sports as well as both U-20 men’s and women’s rugby internationals.

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 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 young people, in education, physical and mental well-being.

Aberdeen FC chairman, Dave Cormack, said: “The opportunity exists to lean into the Club’s unique reach, influence and ability to catalyse delivery of community sports and leisure activities that can rival anything 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.

“We can’t just make incremental improvements, which come with major annual maintenance costs, and hope to be able to compete with other cities in terms of projects that transform economies and communities and excite and attract citizens and visitors alike.”

Delivering a community stadium and environment around it that has multiple uses, not just for football matches every second weekend during the season, would not only generate a major economic uplift, but also put Aberdeen on the map for sporting excellence.

Mr Cormack added: “This is not just about a new stadium for Aberdeen FC – it’s about what’s best for our city and our citizens. The Club can, and wants to, play a major role. But it’s not for us to lead on it, nor can we drive it forward alone. We would urge our city leaders to share this ambition and deliver the right environment in which economic growth and communities can flourish.

“Realising this opportunity is in the hands of our Council leaders – only they have the mandate and the ability to secure public, capital investment to drive such a transformational project. And with this study showing the project would deliver at least £1.6 billion of economic uplift over the next few decades, the economic case for a return on investment is utterly compelling.”

About BiGGAR Economics

BiGGAR Economics is Scotland’s leading economic consultancy. Established in 2002, the team of 20 professionals provides economic analysis and advice for leading companies, industry organisations, universities, governments and local government across Europe. Current clients include SSE, Diageo, RenewableUK, Edinburgh Airport, Shetland Council, Scottish Salmon, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Buccleuch and the Scottish Government.

Experience in the North East of Scotland includes the economic case for the expansion of Aberdeen Harbour, an economic impact assessment of the Acorn-led Scottish carbon capture and storage cluster, the development of an economic impact tool for Cala Homes and socio-economic assessments of a range of proposed offshore wind farms and on-shore grid infrastructure projects.