Key questions to be addressed as Hearts look away from Tynecastle

HEARTS supporters have been told in a report released this week that redevelopment of Tynecastle Stadium is “not a viable option”, with the recommendation that an alternative site be sought as the club’s new home.

The report, which was jointly commissioned by the club and City of Edinburgh Council, says that Hearts believe a multi-purpose venue is required, located in the west of Edinburgh. The council will now consider the possibility of a formal partnership with Hearts to achieve this goal. Here, Graham Bean addresses the key questions raised by the latest proposal.

1. Why do Hearts need to move to a new stadium?

The report states that the stadium “is in poor condition, lacks many amenities, is constrained by adjacent occupiers and is non-Uefa compliant”. In short, the club believes that despite rebuilding three-quarters of Tynecastle in recent years, extending the pitch so they could continue hosting European ties and turning the ground into arguably the most atmospheric in Scotland, it is time to move. The chief problem is the old main stand which is the only part of the ground which has not been rebuilt. The club had hoped to replace it with a £50m two-tier stand which would house a hotel and shops. But Hearts now feel that moving to a purpose-built stadium would be more economically viable. The hope would be that the cost of building a new stadium would be shared with the City of Edinburgh Council and potentially another partner, such as Edinburgh Rugby. The belief is a new ground would generate more income through increased attendances and more commercial opportunities.

2. What is stopping Hearts from staying at Tynecastle?

Technically, nothing. The ground staged a sell-out Europa League tie against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season without any problems. It also regularly plays host to matches involving Hibernian, Celtic and Rangers which generate large crowds. The main stand is certainly dated and has stanchions which restrict the view of spectators but it is still serviceable.

3. What happened to the £50m plan?

It was too expensive and was drastically scaled back. The replacement plan involved a £15m new main stand at Tynecastle without the hotel but club director Vitalijus Vasiliauskas told last year’s annual general meeting that the club “can’t afford at the moment to invest £15m”. Six months later fellow director Sergejus Fedotovas claimed a health and safety rule restricting expansion of the ground to 10 per cent of the current 17,200 capacity would render Hearts’ plans financially untenable. He claimed flammable chemicals stored at nearby distillery meant that Hearts could not turn Tynecastle into a 24,000-seater stadium. Fedotovas also stated that frustration over planning problems could lead to club owner Vladimir Romanov, pictured, selling up.

4. Why do Hearts want a joint venture with the council?

Economic reasons. By getting into bed with City of Edinburgh Council, Hearts would hope to share the cost of a new stadium and open it up to “other top-class sports, corporate, arts and entertainment events”. The club points to the examples of Bolton Wanderers and Hull City as “exceptional examples” of council/football club parternships which yielded impressive new stadiums.

5. What other sports could be involved?

The most obvious is rugby. Edinburgh are keen to find a stadium that is more conducive to their needs than Murrayfield, which is far too big with a capacity of over 67,000. Dominic Mackay, the director of communications and public affairs for Scottish Rugby, said yesterday: “We’ve seen the speculation with Hearts and that is something that is clearly of interest. We’ve not had any formal talks with Hearts recently [but] we’re very open to looking at all options for Edinburgh with regards to a stadium. We’re open to trying to find a new location around Edinburgh but there are not many options and there are very challenging economic conditions. It’s a case of making the right location work for our supporters; our supporters come first.”

6. Where could a new stadium be built?

Hearts have pledged to find a site which is within five miles of Tynecastle. The report, carried out by consultants Doig+Smith and GVA Grimely, says that at least 16 acres are required to build a ground with a capacity of 20,000 to 30,000. Sighthill is seen by some as the favoured location, should Hearts move. It is in the west of the city but is a long way from the club’s traditional Gorgie base which has been their home for more than 125 years. Options at Sighthill include Sighthill Park, council-owned land that was once earmarked for a £53m sports stadium, and tracts of land owned by Sir David Murray’s Murray Estates in the proposed “Garden District” on green-belt land near Edinburgh Park. But deputy council leader Steve Cardownie, a Hearts season ticket holder, does not believe Sighthill is the best option. Speaking last week, he said: “I’ve heard that Sighthill has been mooted, and I do not believe this is an appropriate area for a big stadium. Ingliston or the Gogar area would be an ideal place to build on.”

7. Who else could part-fund this venture?

The Scottish Rugby Union would be involved if Edinburgh Rugby were to share the stadium. Selling naming rights to the new ground is also a possibility.

8. Would the public accept a joint venture between Hearts and the council?

A moot point. The council could be leaving itself open to accusations of pro-Hearts bias. In fact, it has already been forced to deny such a claim. Mike Riley, chairman of the Hibernian Supporters Club, said: “The council has never done anything for us but they’ll go out of their way to help Hearts. It doesn’t surprise me that Romanov, who can’t afford to spend £50-60 million on a new stadium, has gone to the council knowing they are Hearts-minded.” Cardownie dismissed talk of bias, stating: “I’d be more than happy for both [Edinburgh] teams to share a stadium, but they [Hibs] have just built a new stand and might not want that. In the council we are definitely even-handed. I’m a Hearts fan but I’m a football fan first and they are two great clubs that should be supported. Rivalry should be kept on the park and there is certainly no bias in this council.”

9. What do the Hearts supporters want?

The club consulted fans through an online survey and announced that 76 per cent of the 8,376 respondents “indicated they would accept a new stadium up to five miles from the existing Tynecastle”. However, Hearts were criticised for the wording of the survey. Marion Williams, director of the heritage group the Cockburn Association, said that the questions were worded in a way that encouraged fans to back a move. The survey did not directly ask fans whether they would back a move. Ms Williams is opposed to the idea of a new stadium being built on Edinburgh’s green belt.

10. What would happen to Tynecastle?

It would be sold for housing. Before Romanov took control, a deal was in place to sell Tynecastle to housing developer Cala in 2004 for a minimum price of £20.5m. The deal was brokered by former Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson who wanted to sell the ground to pay off the club’s debt and move Hearts to Murrayfield, a plan that was deeply unpopular with suuporters. Romanov was widely seen as the saviour of Hearts when he bought into the club and scrapped the plan to sell Tynecastle. Now, the Lithuanian businessman has changed tack.