Camperdown Country Park could be home to the Scotland’s new National Performance Centre for Sport.
Dundee City Council’s policy and resources committee will on Monday be asked to turn the south-east corner of the park into the site for the prestigious facility if Dundee’s bid is successful.
A first stage bid for the centre has to be submitted by February 15, and it would follow months of preparation by the council and its partners the universities of Dundee and Abertay, Dundee College, Dundee United FC, Dundee FC, NHS Tayside and Leisure and Culture Dundee.
Outdoors there would be a floodlit third generation synthetic grass training pitch for football and other sports; a floodlit grass Hampden-size pitch for football; a floodlit grass match pitch for football; two grass training pitches; two 60×40 metre grass goalkeeper training areas, and an expansion area suitable for two extra pitches.
Indoors there would be a full-size third generation synthetic grass pitch for football and other sports with seating for 1,000 people; a sports hall big enough for nine badminton courts and seating for 500 people; tennis courts; a fitness suite; a health and wellbeing facility; changing accommodation, office and meeting room accommodation for Scottish governing bodies and a three-star 90-bedroom hotel.
Ken Guild, the SNP administration leader, said consultants have been appointed to help shape Dundee’s bid.
He added: “The idea to use a part of Camperdown Park satisfies a number of specified key bid criteria that are being asked for, and I am determined that we make Dundee’s case the best it can be.
“It would be a tremendous boost for the city to bring the National Performance Centre for Sport here, and it would be something else to put Dundee on the map.”
Environment convener Craig Melville said: “This is an imaginative proposal to offer what would be a stunning location for the national performance centre.
“We have a masterplan in place for Camperdown Country Park and the centre would be a superb addition to the work that will be ongoing to improve the park over the coming years.”
The south-east corner of the park was deemed the most appropriate location after extensive analysis.
It has an ability to expand in the future as a location for hotels, lower costs and an ability to accommodate core requirements in one place with minimal disruption to existing facilities.
It is also accessible in being just off the A90 Kingsway.
aargo@thecourier.co.uk