Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian Owner Ann Budge pledged to pay £300,000 ($433,000) of her own money "towards the new main stand at Tynecastle," according to Barry Anderson of the SCOTSMAN. The Edinburgh businesswoman "has also offered to defer repayment" of her £2.5M ($3.6M) loan "to allow fans group Foundation of Hearts to contribute more cash to the project." Estimates are that the new stand will cost around £11M ($15.9M), with unnamed benefactors contributing £2.5M. Budge "has unveiled a detailed payment plan, including a debenture scheme, and will also use funds already in the club’s account." Work on the 7,000-seat main stand "is due to begin this autumn, bringing Tynecastle’s total capacity up to more than 20,000." The stand could open early in the '17-18 season. It will include a home for a "new Tynecastle Nursery, alongside space for a club shop, ticket office and admin office." There will also be an improved “spectator experience," with “unobstructed views” of the pitch, modern seating, food kiosks and lounges (SCOTSMAN, 5/10).
