DAVID MURRAY yesterday revealed that an announcement could be made as early as May on the £670m plans to transform Ibrox into a 70,000-capacity "events centre", calling for an end to the "cynicism" surrounding the project that he claims would involve regenerating the entire Govan area.
He also praised manager Walter Smith for a "remarkable" regeneration of the team's fortunes that has allowed them to harbour ambitions of a treble after last week's CIS Cup win.
As well as announcing that juvenile season ticket prices would be re
duced next season and that Rangers will give out their 2,400 allocation for the away leg of their UEFA Cup quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon to supporters for free as a thank-you for their backing, Murray said the club's long-term stadium plans remained on course. "What we are working on is real so please don't be cynical," he said.
"My reputation is on the line and I have put a lot of work into this. The plans are at an advanced stage. There are various proposals and we will lodge an outline planning application followed by a detailed application. It was not our choice to bring it into the public domain and it is a very big development but by the beginning of May we hope to be able to let people know our options.
"We could either develop everything or do it in sections. We have been enthused by the level of interest from our partners, investors and shareholders. People want to get involved in what would not just be a football stadium.
"That would only be 20% of the revenue and we would host concerts, boxing, other sporting events and business seminars. Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell made it very clear when Glasgow won the Commonwealth Games that as well as regenerating the east end there was a duty to regenerate the Govan area."
Murray's more immediate development concerns will centre around the Rangers squad, and he maintained that his financial support in the summer will measure up to the £10m spent on new arrivals last close season.
"We are in a strong financial position and will post a healthy profit and will again invest heavily in players. We balanced the buying and selling with the (£9m] sale of Alan Hutton. The funds are available and Walter had several million to spend in January but he chose not too. We are obviously going to strengthen and already have a plan in place. We are on the way up and whatever happens in the rest of the season Walter has been responsible for a remarkable turnaround."
