GORDON MacRae, the driver of Ross County's stadium redevelopment in the 1990s, believes an SPL-ready Victoria Park could be created within 12 weeks of winning the First Division.
The Ross County vice-president is also confident the bill for all building work would not exceed £1.5 million and could be as low as £1 million.
Nobody at County is taking anything for granted in the title race with the league campaign only just reaching the halfway stage.
But proof of the ability to meet SPL criteria must be provided by the Dingwall club by March 31 if the dream is to remain a viable possibility.
With outline planning consent having long since been secured, MacRae, County's vice-president, and the rest of the board, have been working quietly in the background on a detailed application.
MacRae, who used the expertise of his eponymous former building company to meet Scottish League criteria 17 years ago, will again be called upon in the upgrading of Victoria Park.
The basic requirement is for a 6,000 all-seat stadium with undersoil heating.
Despite moves within the SPL to allow clubs to re-introduce safe standing areas, County seem unlikely to benefit.
The seating requirement is set in stone and County would need to rebuild the Jail End to house new seats.
The East Stand looks certain to be elongated, probably at both ends, with the creation of further seating.
A new seated stand would be built at the away end while there may be internal improvements to dressing rooms and facilities in the West Stand.
The worst case scenario for the Staggies although it is one every single fan and official would embrace - is that the league is only won by early May.
This would mean County having to speed through redevelopment work before the SPL kicks off in early August.
MacRae, though, is confident the main rebuilding work could be completed within three months.
The only potential complication he foresees relates to undersoil heating.
County would have liked to have seen the costly rule scrapped in favour of the new generation of frost covers.
But it is understood there is unlikely to be any change of heart by the SPL at this moment in time.
MacRae told the Ross-shire Journal, "We have outline planning consent in place and have already had a series of internal meetings aimed at bringing those plans to a detailed stage.
"We aren't taking anything for granted in the First Division, but it would be a dereliction of duty if we weren't prepared for the eventuality that we might win the league. We have to be ready for March 31 and be able to prove to the SPL that we can deliver a ground that meets the criteria.
"The details remain very much under discussion at the moment and the situation is fluid.
"It goes without saying we want to do everything we can to minimise the eventual cost to the club."
German-style safe standing, with foldable seating, was investigated but is far more costly than traditional seating. It is unlikely to be part of the plan.
The irony is that County have already hosted both sides of the Old Firm and a clutch of other SPL clubs in the last few years.
Victoria Park has not only proven safe and sound with packed crowds, it has earned praise for a level of atmosphere sorely missing at SPL level.
County, though, are all but resigned to ripping up the old terracing.
MacRae revealed: "We have been in touch with the SPL regarding what kind of funds would be available to the club.
"If we are to complete a business plan, we obviously need to know exactly what level of financial help there is.
"The SPL have a new, increased five-year television deal so the picture is reasonably healthy.
"If we are successful in winning promotion, it would be fantastic to have the title assured as early as possible. We would like to start what would be a 12-week period of ground development in April."
Undersoil heating, as well as being costly, presents some complications.
MacRae said, "We have carried out an audit investigation in Germany, looking at types of undersoil heating that limit damage to the grass on the playing surface.
"We were hopeful that the new generation of frost covers that work down to -10c might be deemed acceptable, but that doesn't look likely.
"The safe standing areas don't look feasible, either because of the high cost of foldable seating and the need to install 6,000 seats no matter the overall capacity.
"It is disappointing, given our record of coping without any problem with cup matches against SPL clubs.
"But we are committed to working with the SPL and working to the criteria they demand."
County will not need to build a new access road to Victoria Park.
It is also hoped improvements already made to the current access over the bridge from Station Road will negate the need for further spending.
The very last resort for County would be to consider a temporary ground-share with Inverness.
But MacRae is confident that scenario will not arise. Winning the title on the final day of the season would, however, crank up the pressure.
He added, "If we won the league in early May, the undersoil heating would be the main concern. Everything else is relatively straightforward.
"Installing undersoil heating is relatively straightforward but it can conflict with work on the playing surface.
"If we have to ask the SPL to perhaps play our first two games in August away from home, I believe that would be sufficient.
"Whatever happens, we should be able to have the ground ready in time for SPL football."
