Queen’s want SFA to reveal the cost of Hampden exit
QUEEN’S PARK have challenged the SFA to reveal how much it would cost the football chiefs in lost revenue to leave Hampden.
The League One club are angered with chief executive Stewart Regan’s assertion in a recent radio interview that it would cost the game’s ruling body “many, many millions of pounds” to renew the lease of the National Stadium when it expires in 2020.
Queen’s Park’s most recent accounts show they received £308,907 in annual rent from the SFA despite the 20- year agreement, signed in 2000, stating that £ 800,000 per annum would be paid.
A club spokesperson said: “Over the past few weeks there have been many reports around the Scottish FA remaining or leaving.
“Most recently chief executive Stewart Regan has been quoted, by BBC Sport Football, as stating, ‘We know it will cost many, many millions of pounds to stay for another term of a lease similar to what we have now’.
“This causes Queen’s Park, as owners of the National Stadium, great concern. We have to date had no detailed access to any evidence to substantiate this statement and would seek confirmation from the Scottish FA that they have fulfilled their responsibilities, under the present lease, to maintain the stadium and further detailed evidence to support Mr Regan’s statement.
“While Mr Regan has stated it would take many, many millions of pounds to remain at Hampden, he has not clarified how much it would cost the Scottish FA to leave.
“The decision to remain or leave cannot be based purely on cost. The City of Glasgow and indeed Scotland could be greatly affected by the loss of the iconic Hampden Park, recognised worldwide as the home of Scottish football.
“Queen’s Park would further like to clarify that recent reports of rental of £800k per annum being paid to Queen’s Park are incorrect.
“A confidentiality clause prohibits us from making public the rental amount but we can say it is much, much less than £800k per annum paid directly to Queen’s Park.
“The vast proportion of the rental is retained by the Scottish FA to maintain the stadium.”