Dundee managing director John Nelms has come under yet more fan scrutiny after the release of a glitzy video unveiling plans for the new stadium complex.
Dee4Life, also known as the Dundee FC Supporters Society, have raised questions over the plans to move from Dens Park to Camperdown.
Nelms revealed the next step in the stadium plans on Thursday after coming under fire from a separate group of fans over the running of the club
The polished video showed how the build will look, as well as the various accompaniments to the 15,000-seater venue, including a training ground, hotel and crematorium.
However, Dee4Life say the video “raises more questions that we seek answers to” and have pressed the Dundee managing director for more information in a letter seen by Courier Sport.
The letter reads: “As you know, Dee4Life have long backed the proposed new stadium in principle.
“However, we feel that the latest update raises more questions that we seek answers to on behalf of our members and the wider Dundee support.
“I would be grateful if you could look over the following questions and get back to me with answers to them.
“I will also be circulating a list of these round our members as they regularly contact us to raise concerns about the stadium situation.
What are the questions?
1. What is the estimated cost of the Camperdown stadium project and, in view of hugely escalating building material costs, is it still viable?
2. What are the anticipated timescales for moving to Camperdown and what does this mean for the club potentially having to groundshare?
3. Have previous issues around traffic access and sewage/drainage etc been resolved to the satisfaction of the stakeholders?
4. If the answer to Q3 is yes, why has a planning application never been lodged?
5. Is the Crematorium part of the project still viable after the application for a similar facility in another part of the city? It has been pointed out that existing plans do not appear to include a garden of remembrance and the nature of other elements of the project such as a hotel, housing, a leisure complex and a concert venue appear to be incongruous neighbours for such a facility.
Dens Park purchase
6. Can you provide an update on negotiations to purchase Dens Park from John Bennett?
7. In the event of Dens Park being purchased by FPS, why must it be sold before the new stadium is built? Surely a deal can be done whereby Dens is sold in advance but only released from its current use once a new stadium has been developed?
8. Is, in fact, the whole plan predicated on the sale value and income generated from the sale of Dens Park?
9. Why was Dens Park not repurchased years ago? FPS initially said they would help fans buy back Dens Park. Had this process been started earlier, and with encouragement from the board, supporters via fundraising ventures could by now have rebought the stadium and saved the club hundreds of thousands of pounds in rent.
10. Can you outline the total amount of Dens Park maintenance costs over the past eight years and how they compare with clubs of a similar standing with facilities like Dundee FC?
11. Can you assure us that the structure of Dens Park stadium is being sufficiently maintained to ensure the renewal of our Safety Certificate?
12. In the interim, how much would it cost to install updated Wi-Fi to improve the ticketing system and offer a more modern matchday experience?
13. Should development of the new stadium be delayed, as is common in such projects, would an extended ground share be feasible, or do we risk becoming homeless?
Role of Dundee fans
14. What are the detailed financial benefits for the football club in moving?
15. Given that the new stadium will be developed by a company other than the club, how much will it cost annually to rent the new stadium and training facility?
16. What role will Dundee FC fans, who have everything to lose should things going wrong, have in these plans?
The letter, signed by Dee4Life secretary Norrie Price, concludes: “Finally, we would like to say how encouraged we were by the progress made by the club’s academy outlined last night.
“It is clear that strides are being made in this area under Gordon Strachan, Stephen Wright, Scott Robertson and the club’s hard-working and committed coaches.”
