Scottish FA Not Prepared To Renew Hampden Park Deal On Existing Terms

The Scottish FA "has taken a step closer to leaving Hampden Park" by telling the facility's owner, Scottish League One side Queen's Park, it is "not prepared to renew its lease on the existing terms," according to Michael Grant of the LONDON TIMES. The SFA "could abandon Hampden" and take internationals and Scottish Cup finals to Celtic Park, Ibrox or Murrayfield if it cannot agree to the terms of a new deal with Queen's Park. The current lease is scheduled to end in '20 after Hampden hosts three games at Euro 2020. Discussions have continued on the SFA's residency and a board decision is expected "later this month." The existing 20-year lease costs the SFA £800,000 ($1.08M) a year, although that figure has been reduced to £300,000 ($405,400), with the difference, £500,000 ($675,700) per year, going to its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hampden Park Ltd., "to maintain and run the stadium" (LONDON TIMES, 1/3).