Harris, who was an influential club vice-president and served on the board until his term ended after the 2013 premiership, told The Age that his family’s donation to the club was about providing the club with ‘‘seeding’’ funds to get the Dingley project off the ground.

Harris, who has been a generous donor to Hawthorn for many years and has other philanthropic interests, said he remembered the struggles the Hawks endured at the time of the thwarted merger with Melbourne and also in 2004 when they were near the bottom of the ladder. ‘‘I never want to see that happen again.’’ Harris said it was important that Hawthorn would own the freehold at Dingley, in what was a point of difference between the Hawks and the other clubs that have leases on their facilities and training bases. ‘‘The key to this project is that Hawthorn Football Club own the freehold.

‘‘No other AFL club will have a freehold on their training base,’’ added Harris who, in addition to his philanthropic interests and Dingley donation, helped fund the immuno-therapy drug treatment that Jarryd Roughead had when the Hawthorn captain was diagnosed — and successfully treated — for melanoma.

The Harris donation to Hawthorn is specifically for Dingley, not for general operations, and is held in an account for that purpose alone. The gift was not made through the club’s foundation.

‘‘The reason our family is involved is that this [is] seeding capital to get the Dingley project up and running,’’ said Harris, who sold most of his interest in Flight Centre (he holds 15 per cent of the company) and was an early investor in Boost Juice. Today, he has interests in an online auction business ‘‘Gavl’’ and a casual Mexican diner ‘‘Fonda’’, while his philanthropic activities include supporting ‘‘STREAT’’, an organisation aimed at helping at-risk and especially homeless youth. Harris provided STREAT with the use of a $2.5 million home in Collingwood for $5.