Hampden faces £3.5m debt quiz

by Michael Gordon



Fraud Squad detectives began investigations last week into alleged financial irregularities at the troubled development of Hampden Park national football stadium, Glasgow.

Strathclyde Police confirmed that an investigation was under way at the 52,000-seater stadium, which is being built with £63 million of public money. It is the latest crisis to affect the stadium and developer, the National Stadium, faces debts of at least £3.5 million.

A spokesman for Sir Robert McAlpine refused to comment on reports that the contractor has issued a writ against stadium chiefs early last month seeking £4 million in unpaid fees. Stadium chiefs are contesting £700,000 of the £4 million sum claimed and have announced that it intends to contest the action in court.

As a result, McAlpine may now have to wait two years to be paid, leaving around 20 smaller subcontractors out of pocket. Construction costs are said to have approached £60 million compared with an original estimate of £47 million.

Early last month police told Hampden Park officials that a fraud squad probe into the funding of the stadium's new £8 million Scottish Football Museum was a waste of time after claims that the museum trust broke rules when collecting a European grant.