Aberdeen City Council and the Dons have been urged to meet to thrash out the £80million funding needed for a new football stadium at the beach.
The plea comes from the chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
It emerged on Wednesday that the council's leaders had ruled out helping fund a new Dons stadium at the beach.
Council co-leader Ian Yuill, of the Lib Dems, stated: "We are not in the business of putting council money into football stadiums."
The Press and Journal said the plans for the ground, predicted to bring Aberdeen a "billion-pound boost" over future decades, were now facing an uncertain future.
Mr Yuill and the other council co-leader, Alex Nicoll, of the SNP, told the newspaper that club bosses would have to dig into their own pockets if they want to build the stadium.
Kingsford move
The Dons had been set to move to Kingsford when council leaders approached them about staying in the city almost two years ago.
Back then, the local authority indicated it would contribute some of the £150million cash earmarked for the city centre and beach masterplan towards the arena.
They wanted it to act as a "centrepiece" for the multi-million-pound seafront revamp.
And recent economic studies indicated such a complex, capable of hosting gigs and other sporting events, would inject £20million into the local economy every year of its 50-year lifespan.
In the latest twist to the stadium tale, the Press and Journal reveals today that council insiders say Aberdeen's SNP group is becoming fractured over leader Mr Nicoll's stance.
Before May's local elections, the SNP group campaigned successfully on a promise to "work with Aberdeen FC to deliver new sports facilities and a new stadium".
Party's priority
The beachfront revamp was the party's "priority" ahead of polling day.
Mr Nicoll yesterday claimed that did not represent any sort of commitment to help get the scheme off the ground.
And he insisted that he remains "amenable" to talks with the Dons - if not to provide any cash.
The SNP and Liberal Dem coalition has 24 of the 45 city councillors.
The P&J says that, should there be a revolt within the SNP ranks, it could still be all to play for when councillors meet on Wednesday, December 14, to discuss the future of the seafront.
A council spokesman said club representatives would provide the authority with further information before the meeting.
Vision developed
He said: "We look forward to hearing from Aberdeen FC regarding funding for the stadium element, so the vision can be further developed, subject to the usual planning process."
Chamber boss Russell Borthwick said yesterday: "It was the council who approached the football club about a proposal to remain in the city, so these comments from the administration are disappointing - and we urge all parties to get round a table urgently.
"We understand there is majority support within the council for these proposals to move forward, whether the co-leaders are enthusiastic about them or not, so we remain hopeful that progress can be made.
"The independent study led by the chamber demonstrates not only the positive economic impact on the city, but also that local authorities and other public bodies across the UK and Europe have successfully partnered with sports and culture organisations to co-fund facilities that have added huge value to those places, both economically and socially.
"Everyone is clear about the squeeze on public finances, and it is reasonable that councillors would want to have clear sight of the financial contribution from the football club before proceeding.
"And, while Mr Yuill's personal view is that it is not appropriate for public money to be used in such a way, we are not going out on a limb here - we are simply following a successful model from elsewhere.
City centre summit
"At last week's city centre summit, the 'ask' of Aberdeen City Council was simply to deliver on its pledges around the Union Street and beach elements of the Masterplan - this is the outline of the jigsaw of regeneration - and the business community of the city will come together to build the rest of the picture. But they can only do this if they have clarity around what they are investing in.
"We have a one-off opportunity to make something incredible happen in the city. Letting it fail - just like the pedestrianisation plans - will simply send out the message to the world once again that Aberdeen cannot get its act together. It is in nobody's interest for that to happen."