Queen’s to sell off Hampden

QUEEN’S PARK have agreed to sell Hampden in a bid to avert financial ruin. Talks on a deal to hand over the keys to the SFA are scheduled to begin on Wednesday with the governing body determined to make ownership of the national stadium a precondition of scrapping plans to move to Murrayfield. Faced with a £16million bill for the repayment of loans, grants and debentures if Scotland games and cup

finals go elsewhere, the 10-man Queen’s Park committee have reached a decision to negotiate a sale. Last night the League One club told Sportsmail: ‘There is a meeting planned with the SFA next week and an update could be provided then.’ SFA sources stress there is no guarantee they will buy Hampden. Figures of £2m have been quoted, with Queen’s Park also keen to secure an upgrade to Lesser Hampden as part of the deal. With the Scottish Government blanking requests for public money to redevelop the 115-year-old arena, however, some members of the governing body believe Murrayfield might still be the best option. Yet a decision by Queen’s Park to discuss a sale increases the odds of Scottish football’s iconic home being saved. As

Sportsmail first revealed, the club’s subsidiary, The National Stadium Company, face a £4.5m bill for the repayment of debenture seats sold in 1999. They would also be required to return half of a £24m Millennium Commission grant handed over as part of a £60m upgrade 18 years ago if Hampden’s national-stadium status ends before 2040. An SFA spokesman reiterated the governing body’s plan to reach a decision in the summer, with the existing lease for the use of Hampden due to expire in 2020. He said: ‘It was decided to progress two options: remaining at Hampden and moving to BT Murrayfield. ‘We are now working with all key stakeholders to consider the strategic, financial, operational and supporterrelated aspects of each option with a view to making a decision later this year.’