Coucillors have confirmed their "in principle" support for the sale of the town's Victoria Park football stadium and adjacent land to Hartlepool United FC.
Members of Hartlepool Borough Council's Hartlepool United Executive Committee now intend to seek detailed negotiations with the club over the terms of the sale - but stress that talks must be based on a realistic valuation.
The Council also says that the sale of the adjacent land, to the north of the stadium, must fit in with its vision for the re-development of the entire Mill House area - of which the football ground forms just one part.
To this end, it has invited the club to get fully involved in a Council-commissioned feasibility study of the re-development options for the whole Mill House site which also includes the Council's Mill House Leisure Centre, the Hartlepool Indoor Bowling Club and the Mill House public house.
The three-month study by commercial agents DTZ, which began last week, aims to produce "creative but realistic" proposals that meet the aspirations of the Council, the football club and other interested parties.
Councillor Robbie Payne, Chair of the Hartlepool United Executive Committee, said: "All members of the committee were quite clear that they wished to pursue a sale and reach a conclusion acceptable to both parties as quickly as possible.
"However, we want to make it quite clear that no deal has yet been reached, and any suggestion to the contrary is utter fabrication.
"The Council has a duty to get "best value" for the town's taxpayers and, therefore, it is vital that we agree a realistic valuation with the club. "We also hope that the club takes up our invitation to get involved in the feasibility study because we believe that a co-ordinated re-development of the entire Mill House site would produce benefits for all - the Council, the club and the community of Hartlepool."
Councillor Payne stressed that proposals put forward by DTZ following the completion of its feasibility study would be the subject of full consultation with local residents, businesses and other interested parties.
A spokesman for Hartlepool United added: "The Club can confirm that negotiations with the Council will continue and we will work with the Council in helping to review and give input in to the proposed feasibility study."
