Saints will build a training facility at Belvedere Park (Seaford)

[Oh When the Saints]

Great move for the club:

$10.5m deal, involving only $1.25m from the Saints, and the rest of the contribution from the AFL and State and local governments.

Will include the contruction of an elite training centre and administration facility:
- Gymnasium and indoor training area
- Alitutude room
- Video analysis facilities
- Medical, testing and rehabilitation facilities
- Rehabilitation pool
- Meeting rooms and lecture theatre
- Offices for staff
- Membership and merchandise area

The Saints will own the freehold for the new facility.

[hottip06]

Great move for the club:

$10.5m deal, involving only $1.25m from the Saints, and the rest of the contribution from the AFL and State and local governments.

Will include the contruction of an elite training centre and administration facility:
- Gymnasium and indoor training area
- Alitutude room
- Video analysis facilities
- Medical, testing and rehabilitation facilities
- Rehabilitation pool
- Meeting rooms and lecture theatre
- Offices for staff
- Membership and merchandise area

The Saints will own the freehold for the new facility.


I would have thought everything you listed abouve would be a pre-requisite for every AFL club, except the altitude room!
Moving to Frankston a positive... i dont think so!

[NeilElvis]

I would have thought everything you listed abouve would be a pre-requisite for every AFL club, except the altitude room!
Moving to Frankston a positive... i dont think so!

Frankston will be one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in Melbourne within a few years. Bay views, access to the peninsula, too expensive to the riff raff!

Just like numerous other traditional bogan breeding grounds it will get too expensive to live there & they'll all move further out. The Saints will still be surrounded by the Brighton set! It'll just be their holiday houses!

[mick13]

At least we didn't move to Dingley.

>_>

I dunno what to think, sounds good by the looks of it, guess I won't be riding my bike down to watch em train after skool anymore though lol.

[Oh When the Saints]

I would have thought everything you listed abouve would be a pre-requisite for every AFL club, except the altitude room!
Moving to Frankston a positive... i dont think so!

Well, the Saints currently don't have any of that. Might be a pre-requisite for Collingwood, but it will be the first time we've had those sort of facilities.

We'll be in by the start of 2010.

Plus the club owns the administration building and land as an asset.

[johnnyhoward]

Frankston will be one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in Melbourne within a few years. Bay views, access to the peninsula, too expensive to the riff raff!

Just like numerous other traditional bogan breeding grounds it will get too expensive to live there & they'll all move further out. The Saints will still be surrounded by the Brighton set! It'll just be their holiday houses!
Yeah, Port Melbourne used to be a real scummy area, now it's among the trendiest in Melbourne.

[- PC -]

Good news for the Saints and hope it works well

[ChrisFooty]

It sounds great except.....

Frankston? Well i guess it's not Broadmeadows, which is a plus. Anybody in here thought Cranbourne was a better choice? Do the players like having the base in Frankston? It's a little far out....

But yeah, i was hoping i would never have to set foot in Frankston again:o

[Oh When the Saints]

Cranbourne is 20 mins further away.

Frankston offers a nicer location and a better fit with the club's brand IMO, although I would have supported either option.

[ChrisFooty]

Cranbourne is 20 mins further away.

Frankston offers a nicer location and a better fit with the club's brand IMO, although I would have supported either option.

So will Casey still be our VFL feeder club? Would it not be easier to have the Dolphins now?

[Look2Me4Guidance]

From all reports, Frankston have made it quite clear they wish to remain stand alone in the VFL.

[35Harvs]

this is very good news!!
and prefer Frankston over Cranbourne as well - would have been nice to stay in moorabbin though.

[Medstar]

Great decision imo.

Hopefully the boys will do their pre-season stuff around frankston/peninsula and play a few pracco matches around here as well.

[Fehring]

From all reports, Frankston have made it quite clear they wish to remain stand alone in the VFL.

Best possible result. We maintain our bayside stranglehold (maybe even enhance it) but also maintain the foothold in Casey which is growing like a malignant tumour and would otherwise be fertile Hawthorn ground, now that they're located in Waverley.

[huggy_b]

Now lets translate some of this good off-field work into results on the paddock.

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Start Round 1 tomorrow please. I am ready right now!!!!!!

[ChrisFooty]

Start Round 1 tomorrow please. I am ready right now!!!!!!

Well the pre-season comp is not that far away. The rubbish quality test matches is making the summer feel more longer than it is. :thumbsd:

[bubblegoose]

So when the Franger facilities are all operational, would Saints family days be held down there or still at Moorrabin?

[Dk#1]

So when the Franger facilities are all operational, would Saints family days be held down there or still at Moorrabin?

dunno but it would be alright as the parents can go get there hit of crack while the kids go tot he clinic. Sounds good?...... have you people ever been to frankston. I live in portsea and can't think of anything worst then going past that whole. But on the other hand i suppose you guys are going to get the falicities that a afl club needs. Any way best of luck just don't build a ground there so i don;t have to watch footy there.:thumbsu:

[ChrisFooty]

dunno but it would be alright as the parents can go get there hit of crack while the kids go tot he clinic. Sounds good?...... have you people ever been to frankston. I live in portsea and can't think of anything worst then going past that whole. But on the other hand i suppose you guys are going to get the falicities that a afl club needs. Any way best of luck just don't build a ground there so i don;t have to watch footy there.:thumbsu:

I was hoping i would never have to go there ever again. I wanted Cranbourne actually.

[sauce_head]

So far we have moved from Morrabbin - which was insinuated against in the Footy First ticket; an injury to our CHB - which could have happened in past seasons; and we still have not major sponsor confirmed (and one that looks poor relatively in the pipe line) and we have announced a debt.

Hmmm...

Yes I am playing devils advocate, but there could be a point in there somewhere.

BTW, I support the move from Morrabbin.

[Fehring]

So far we have moved from Morrabbin - which was insinuated against in the Footy First ticket; an injury to our CHB - which could have happened in past seasons; and we still have not major sponsor confirmed (and one that looks poor relatively in the pipe line) and we have announced a debt.

Hmmm...

Yes I am playing devils advocate, but there could be a point in there somewhere.

BTW, I support the move from Morrabbin.

OK. I'm in.

I support the move to Franga, as mentioned above, but HOW THE HELL did Westaway move from "definitely staying" at Moorabbin to going to Frankston quicker than he announced the four major sponsors who were "locked in"?

Absolutely extraordinary.

And note that the Footy First manifesto has been removed from their website now so that we can't monitor all of their promises. But at the going down of the sun, and in the morning, Sauce Head and I will remember.

[Squizzy1970]

Give it time guys.

The Kingston Council obviously didn't want the club on reasonable terms. The Frankston deal looks good in terms of outlay and also with the freeway and train infrastructure.

I've said previously it is more difficult to get the sponsors when you are not an official board member - won't happen overnight.

Dunno what Goose's injury has to do with anything, or how the prospective sponsor has been assessed as "poor".

[sauce_head]

Give it time guys.

The Kingston Council obviously didn't want the club on reasonable terms. The Frankston deal looks good in terms of outlay and also with the freeway and train infrastructure.

I've said previously it is more difficult to get the sponsors when you are not an official board member - won't happen overnight.

Dunno what Goose's injury has to do with anything, or how the prospective sponsor has been assessed as "poor".

FF ticket was on injury histeria and the mistaken belief that more money would make them go away. Every injury has everything to do with their crediblity.

My opinion, and it is just mine, is that this replacement sponsor they have lined up appears poor, once again given their unsubstantiated hype.

I would love to be proven wrong.

[Squizzy1970]

The all play funny buggers at election time, and become politicians.

My inference from their ticket was that the injury problems was symbolic of the under-spend in the football department. If Nathan Burke said he thought it was poor when he was playing I'm prepared to listen.

Ross Lyon had criticised the pre-season preparation ("meat and potatoes" comment), so is he on notice too?

[sauce_head]

The all play funny buggers at election time, and become politicians.

My inference from their ticket was that the injury problems was symbolic of the under-spend in the football department. If Nathan Burke said he thought it was poor when he was playing I'm prepared to listen.

Ross Lyon had criticised the pre-season preparation ("meat and potatoes" comment), so is he on notice too?

no one is on notice. i support stability and therefore our current board, assuming they do a good job.

I do not like change for change sake or personal ambition. I just want everybody to remember what they blindly voted into and compare the actual change vs promised.

[threads]

i was born in footscray, then moved to moorabbin and lived there for 25 years about 5 minutes from the sainters ground.

i'm a doggies member, i'm a frankston (vfl) member.

i can easily see a sainters membership on the horizon.

sainters, welcome to frankston :)

[Squizzy1970]

Welcome to Frankston!!!

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23206188-661,00.html

"Frankston Oval grandstand destroyed"

[Uhumagoo]

Absolutely tragic, a classic 100 year old grandstand, It was originally used as part of the Scout Jamboree on top of Olivers Hill and was disassembled and moved to Frankston football ground. Around Christmas a massive piece of play equipment at Frankston Botanic Gardens was also torched. So angry right now.

Hope they catch the pathetic pyro vermin.

[bubblegoose]

Very sad news about the 100yo stand. But mostly bad news for the Frankston Dolphins.

Back to thread - Is there any word from the Dolphins camp about being unhappy about the Saints moving in on their turf in a couple of years?

[Persevering Saint]

SURELY we must start to seriously consider strengthening ties with the Dolphins and loosening ties with the Scorps. As for the grandstand, it is an absolute tragedy, but hopefully we'll be able to help them build something great in its place now.

[Hawka21]

Saints to hold family day 9th march at Frankston Oval, gonna try help us out.

Im a hawk, but ill attend, gutted bout my beloved grandstand :(

Thanks for the saints for lending that hand.

[Sean.]

Saints to hold family day 9th march at Frankston Oval, gonna try help us out.

Im a hawk, but ill attend, gutted bout my beloved grandstand :(

Thanks for the saints for lending that hand.Spot on, I'll try and get myself there aswell. There are alot of Saints supporters in Frankston aswell. So it's good.

[bubblegoose]

Here's the info on Saints website: http://saints.com.au/tabid/5315/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=55214

[Squizzy1970]

AFL club St Kilda in cash concern over Frankston move

Leader News : Paul Amy
19Jun08
St Kilda boss Archie Fraser today revealed the club was reconsidering its move to Frankston.

The sensational development comes as the club revealed a massive $5 million blow-out in costs in redeveloping the football ground.

The financial crunch led Fraser to admit today that the Saints might look to other sites in Frankston if costs could not be reined in.

It’s believed Belvedere Park, which has been earmarked as a potential training venue for TAC Cup team the Dandenong Stingrays, is one alternative.

St Kilda’s contribution to the $10.25m elite training facility and administration centre at Frankston was put at $1.5 million when the project was announced amid great fanfare last November.

But it has got as high as $5 million, due largely to rising steel prices and building restrictions on the site.

`In terms of the price, yes, it has come in higher than we’d all like, but we’re working through that at the moment,’’ Fraser said on Thursday morning.

`The whole thing pushed out to $16.25 million. We’ve been able to knock it back to about $14.25 million. We’ve had two or three meetings where we’ve been trying to cut things out that might have been niceties, as opposed to cutting back on the actual size of the building.’’

While Frankston Council, the State Government and the AFL are all contributing to the development, Fraser said the Saints would have to pay for the extra costs.

Although the club was debt-free, `we’re not jumping in at $14 million’’, he said.

`What we’re really doing now is having a good look at it, to see if it can be `engineered down’ a little bit, while at the same time being an elite facility that meets all our requirements,’’ Fraser said.

`The more we can close the gap, the less money we have to find. We don’t want to be putting in $5 million when we thought we’d be putting in $1.25 million.

`We thought $1.25 million would tun into $2 million, maybe $2.5 million, but nowhere near $5 million.’’

Fraser said St Kilda was still intent on moving to Frankston.

`That’s 100 per cent. What we might have to do is start looking at other sites within the city council area,’’ he said.

`The key thing from the Saints’ point of view is that we’re going to be in Frankston and hopefully we’re going to be at Frankston Park. We want to make this work.’’

[CHBench]

What the hell is going on at the club? Can't seem to get nothing right this year. :(

[Squizzy1970]

To be fair, in my line of work I've seen many businesses impacted by the price of steel, and projects deferred or canned due to cost blowouts.

Hopefully we can find a way of making it work without Saints supporters having to build a stadium out of beer cans (although having stood on them when I was younger at Moorabbin, they weren't too bad).

[CHBench]

Yeh true just that blowout is huge. Can't believe we were getting away with only paying 1/10 of the costs. :thumbsu::D

[Squizzy1970]

The main drama is that we have to fund the over-runs.

Steel prices have gone up by around 50% since the start of the year, and aren't going to come down.

Maybe while Bakes is injured he can just stand there and hold the whole thing up.

[Squizzy1970]

Looks like we should re-name the thread "Saints to Seaford" (Robert Harvey country).

[Persevering Saint]

Why's that Squizz (I'm a little slow this morning, so forgive me...)?

[Persevering Saint]

Given that we've started next year with the Zebras (A MUCH BETTER FIT!!), wouldn't it make sense to make their ground, which is of course called Trevor Barker Oval, our home ground?

Just a suggestion - thoughts?

[Squizzy1970]

I think they want a centre of excellence, like the interstate clubs and Collingwood have and the Bulldogs are building.

Sandy's got squat in terms of facilities (pool, gym, indoor footy training etc). Would probably cost more to develop, as the council is not chasing them like Frankston is.

There has been indications that with the cost blow-out due to steel prices, Belvedere Park in Seaford might prove a better option. It has more land and is close to the freeway. Might also allow a re-negotiation of the deal.

Decision will be needed soon, but council are supportive either way and the Dolphins couldn't give a rats (they just want to start re-building their stand).

[SaintsSeptember]

Robert Harvey Oval has a better ring to it than Belvedere Park, and it is his home town.

[Squizzy1970]

That'd be pretty cool - very fitting recognition for the great man.

[sauce_head]

Indecision. Fancy that, I thought the deal was in the bag.

[Squizzy1970]

This will please Saucy no end :

Saints push for move to Seaford

BY JASON GILLICK 26/08/2008 11:50:00 AM

BELVEDERE Oval in Seaford has been confirmed as St Kilda Football Club's preferred site for an $11 million training centre, with the deal hinging on Frankston Council's approval.

It is understood Frankston councillors are being asked to increase the city's original cash offer from $2 to $3.8 million.

The football club says it wants more money in place of a block of land in Plowman Place, adjacent to Frankston Park. St Kilda is understood to have put two options to the council when the costs of moving from Moorabbin to Frankston Park blew out by more than $5 million.

One was to forego the land in Plowman Place in return for $1.8 million, the other was that the council inject a total of $5 million for the deal to proceed at Frankston Park.

Mayor Alistair Wardle remains opposed to giving more money to St Kilda, particularly because the council will have to pay for the maintenance of a proposed third playing field at Seaford.

"Why would you pay more money for the second-choice site given we will be stuck with the ongoing costs of maintaining another oval?" Cr Wardle asked.

Giving money to St Kilda could become an election issue in November with at least two other councillors joining with sporting clubs and residents upset that ratepayers' money is going to an AFL club instead of local sporting bodies.

Asked to confirm the details of the new deal, the council's corporate manager Mark Brady said: "We are in advanced negotiations with St Kilda and we have listed the matter for council's consideration at its meeting of September 1. No further information or comment can be provided until council has considered the report and made a decision."

The council's economic development unit estimates the deal will inject $42.5 million into Frankston's economy each year of the 50-year life of the agreement.

On Friday, Sports Minister James Merlino agreed to transfer the State Government's $3.45 million from Frankston Park to Belvedere Oval.

Frankston MP Alistair Harkness urged the council to support the deal.

"The St Kilda Football Club moving to Belvedere Oval will be a boon for the wider Frankston area and will provide numerous benefits for residents, health providers, educational institutions - for the whole region," Mr Harkness said.

"The Belvedere project will transform the oval into a state-of-the-art sporting facility for elite athletes, as well as providing important community benefits for local people.

"The Government and the Saints have both made the commitment to Belvedere Oval and it is now time for Frankston Council to step up and make good on its agreement to sign off on this important project.

"I call on Frankston Council to help deliver this project for the community as set out in the proposed heads of agreement for the Belvedere project."

[ChrisFooty]

That sounds good. Hopefully it gets confirmed very soon.

[casey scorp]

That sounds good. Hopefully it gets confirmed very soon.
Tonight at Council from the newspaper article.

[Squizzy1970]

Where are you Casey Scorp?

Saucy - you'll like this one even more!!!

City's 'no' to Saints cash bid

BY JASON GILLICK 2/09/2008 4:16:00 PM

THE revised plan to bring St Kilda Football Club to Frankston has fallen through after Frankston councillors voted 5-3 against increasing their cash offer from $2 million to $3.8 million.
The change was requested by St Kilda deciding to build its training and administration headquarters at Belvedere Park, Seaford, instead of Frankston Park.
Council on Monday offered the Saints $3 million, leaving the club $800,000 to pay for the upgrade of one of the Seaford ovals to AFL standards.
Saints spokesman Matt Schmidt said the club would consider the offer but not until it had got on with the business of footy finals.
St Kilda last weekend made a late charge in the home and away series to earn fourth spot on the ladder.
"We will consider the decision of council and update our members in due course,'' Mr Schmidt said.
"But at this stage the club is solely focused on the finals and we will not be distracted by anything else.''
The collapse of the deal comes nine months after the original announcement was made to build an $11 million training and administration facility in Frankston, a stronghold of St Kilda supporters, with support from the State Government and AFL.
Looming council elections and the retirement of Cr Vicki McClelland, a supporter of the plan, shifted support within council amid community unrest at the cost of the relocation. Council officers estimate the move would bring $42.5 million into the community every year.
Last week Frankston MP Alistair Harkness called on council to adopt the Saints proposal.

[Sean.]

Booo, so no Saints in Frankston? Damn. :(

[Moquo]

I don't know the area myself, but a colleague of mine is a Seaford boy, and he claims that Belvedere Park is a "mosquito infested swamp"...

Anybody here know the area?

[sauce_head]

Where are you Casey Scorp?

Saucy - you'll like this one even more!!!



I just want state of the art facilities and delivery on pre "election" promises!

[Squizzy1970]

I don't know the area myself, but a colleague of mine is a Seaford boy, and he claims that Belvedere Park is a "mosquito infested swamp"...


Does that mean we will have the entitlement to use the term mosquito fleet? Jack (he's more like a flea though), Mini, Milney - damn we need a few more.

[Persevering Saint]

I know, let's just draft the Bulldog's forward line...

[CHBench]

Would much prefer Elsternwick Park or something closer to the phonedome or a little more central. Just seems that we are drifting further and further away.

[Squizzy1970]

The said on the radio that the Ammo's are moving home base?

Whilst Elsternwick Park sounds great, are the local councillors into footy? (not sure they are).

[HibeeOz]

I don't know the area myself, but a colleague of mine is a Seaford boy, and he claims that Belvedere Park is a "mosquito infested swamp"...

Anybody here know the area?

Yep , he's 100% right
Council have tried to beat the mozzie plagues for decades in the wetlands ( read s**te lands ) and failed....bring spare wheels to training also sainters as you not have all four on the BMW's when trainings over :rolleyes:

[kosifan23]

Gee, it's really smart isn't it? the council spends millions on their redevelopment of Moorabbin, and they move to Frankston.

damn stupid

[Squizzy1970]

Saints finally settle on Frankston home

Damian Barrett September 16, 2008

Sixteen months after it made the emotional call to leave Moorabbin, St Kilda is set to announce its new home will be built in Seaford. It is believed the Saints this week finally reached agreement with Frankston City Council to establish a training facility at Belvedere Park. Frankston Oval, the venue the Saints initially identified as a new home, was overlooked when cost estimations blew out by more than $5 million.

St Kilda will effectively have a blank canvas with which to work at Belvedere Park, with more than $11 million to be pumped in to the site.

An oval built to MCG configurations, an indoor sports stadium, a pool and gym will be included in the development, which will be funded by the State Government, local council, the AFL and the Saints. The club hopes the new facilities, most of which will be open to the public, will be operational by the start of the 2010 season.

The Herald Sun has learnt that after months of negotiations, Frankston City Council on Monday night decided to approve the Belvedere Park option. St Kilda announced in May last year it would be leaving Moorabbin, its home of 43 years, after lengthy discussions with Kingston Council broke down irreparably.

In dealing with Kingston Council, the Saints had made it clear they would not be staying at Moorabbin unless they could transfer 83 poker machines about 200 metres, from their Linton St headquarters to South Rd.
St Kilda has 32 years of a lease to run at Moorabbin.

It is understood Frankston Council has committed about $3.8 million to the Belvedere Park project.

Until Monday night's meeting, it had been adamant during months of negotiations with the Saints that it would not commit to more than $3 million.

Belvedere Park, situated near the Frankston bypass, was where Saints legend Robert Harvey, who will retire this year, played a lot of his junior football. The Frankston Oval proposal fell through when building restrictions, including rising steel prices and sewage pipe placement, saw the project's budget blow out by more than $5 million.

[CHBench]

Finally. :thumbsu:
So only 1 more year at moorabbin then?

[Squizzy1970]

Finally. :thumbsu:
So only 1 more year at moorabbin then?

Haven't heard what will be left behind (with 32 years left on the lease if it is not terminated early at a cost).

At least the playing group will get a first rate training facility (even if there are a few mozzies to contend with).

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Interesting that the new oval is MCG dimensions. A move on the horizon perhaps?

[Squizzy1970]

Just to allow them to do drills suited to other grounds.

The MCG (at 160x141) is similar to AAMI (165x133) and the Gabba (156x138).

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

You're full of facts today Squizz. What dimensions are the Dome and Moorabbin?

[Squizzy1970]

Funny that - the Dome and the MCG are the same length (Dome is 160x129).

Have to get back to you about Moorabbin.

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Wow, I didnt know the Dome was the same length as the G. :O

Very interesting...

(No, not really)

[sauce_head]

so a premiership at morabbin bfore the move?!

Will be good to have full ground drills. Look how waverley allows the hawks to PRA rice their zone...

[smiley12]

I don't know the area myself, but a colleague of mine is a Seaford boy, and he claims that Belvedere Park is a "mosquito infested swamp"...

Anybody here know the area?

I live virtually next door to Belvedere Park and at present it is basically a couple of ovals which are bordered by a primary school, some bush land and a swamp, it's actually quite a nice area . It's located about 2 minutes from the end of Eastlink however I believe the swamp area is to be the future site of the Frankson bypass. With the opening of Eastlink it actually makes the area quite accessible from the rest of Melbourne.

[SaintsSeptember]

Funny that - the Dome and the MCG are the same length (Dome is 160x129).

Have to get back to you about Moorabbin.

Someone who had worked there told me that it was a "secret" that the Dome was measured using shorter meters than everywhere else , and that for example the 50m line was not at 50 meters but at a shorter length.

I am pretty sure that he was telling the truth in as much that he believed what he was telling me. But I also know people who believe in UFO's.:confused:

[HoldenMCaulfield]

Have to get back to you about Moorabbin.

Did you find any official information on Moorabbin ?

I find this highly interesting (really - but I'm a stats man) and could only find some rather old internet pages (one of them still had Tim Watson as our coach) with 180mx142m.

[Squizzy1970]

If someone's got an old footy record (pre-Telstra Dome), it will probably be in there.

Couldn't find it on the net, so wrote to the club.

I normally find they reply on the 6th or 7th follow up.

Stay tuned!

Note - the 180x142 is Waverley (AFL) Park.

[HoldenMCaulfield]

If someone's got an old footy record (pre-Telstra Dome), it will probably be in there.

Couldn't find it on the net, so wrote to the club.

I normally find they reply on the 6th or 7th follow up.

Stay tuned!

Note - the 180x142 is Waverley (AFL) Park.

Oops a daisy - you're right, cheers.

:o

[Squizzy1970]

With my trusty ruler and Google Maps, I am estimating Moorabbin at 162x130m. Same as the Dome, but not as wide as the MCG or a number of the other grounds.

When you compare any of the current Victorian grounds to Subi (188x134) you can see why it's a different game style over there.

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

How come grounds aren't constant? It really doesn't make much sense... I spose back in the day it woulda given some home ground advantage to every team, but now the only team that has an advantage is West Coast and Freo lol.

[Squizzy1970]

With my trusty ruler and Google Maps, I am estimating Moorabbin at 162x130m.


After cracking a wobbly today, the club has responded and confirmed that my ruler is indeed trusty (162x132m).

[CHBench]

Saints on time and on budget for Frankston


Alistair Hogg 2:54 PM Fri 14 November, 2008


The St Kilda Football Club’s move to Belvedere Park Frankston is on budget and on target to be completed in 2010 as a concept plan was released this week, visually outlining the $11m elite training and administration facility.

Development is expected to commence following the planning process within six months and will be completed in May 2010 when the Saints assume residency of their new state of the art home.

St Kilda Football Club CEO Archie Fraser said, “It is with pride that the Saints can release these initial concept images of our world class training and administration facility to be built over the next 18 months at Belvedere Park in Frankston.”

“Results from the initial QS (quantity surveyors report) are very positive and show the project is as we said it would be - on budget, which is great news considering the unforseen difficulties we encountered with this process at Frankston Park.”

The St Kilda Football Club will spend the next few months finalising detailed plans with project consultants Stratcorp before putting the project out to tender with construction aimed to start in May 2009.

The Saints and Frankston City Council are working in conjunction to stage a public consultation forum where residents can ask questions and receive comprehensive information about the facility and what it delivers for the local community.

When complete, the Belvedere Park complex will include an AFL MCG sized oval, gymnasium, rehabilitation pool, meeting rooms, lecture theatre and an indoor sports hall for basketball, netball and other sports that will be made available to local schools, health providers and sporting associations.

The project would not have been possible without the significant contribution from the funding partners including the Victorian State Government ($3.45m), Frankston City Council ($3m), AFL ($2.55m) and the St Kilda Football Club ($1.43m, plus all additional costs) while the Council’s own REMPLAN economic impact study has forecasted over $42.5m p.a. of on-flow benefits to the local community once the Saints settle in Frankston.

Fraser continued, “St Kilda’s move to Frankston is part of the Club’s long-term strategic plan to continue our growth and develop the Saints as the ‘Bayside’s Own Club’ we are unashamedly setting out to win the hearts and minds and convert locals into long term Saints members and supporters throughout the length and depth of the Bayside corridor.

“This new elite facility will not only be of great benefit to our Club in a football sense, but it also creates a vibrant sporting precinct for the entire community to use which is an outstanding outcome for local residents as well as the St Kilda Football Club.

http://saints.com.au/Portals/0/belvedere_park.jpg

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Thanks CHB, don't know where you find all these articles, but keep it up! (Y)

[CHBench]

I've got my ways (http://westofmoorabbin.com/) :cool::thumbsu:

[jackmac7]

The seaford Saints Hey. At least it's not Franga and where closer to the city then Franga.

Not sure about 'Boggy Creek' out the back, mozzies could be an issue.:D

It's not Elwood or Brighton but if it really bolsters our supporter base and membership up to 40,000 and beyond now that we can claim to be the Bayside/Penisula Club I'll be very happy. Very smart move by St Kilda if it pays off with more long term supporters like Archie said.:thumbsu:

It really sures up our future as a Melbourne Club and forever a Melbourne club!:)

The only negative that could come from this is players not wanting to train all the way out there if they live closer to the city but then again Harvs lives in Seaford so it must be a nice place to live down on the coast. Where like a new Geelong coastal team sort off. So long as we never try and build a stadium out there one day to play home games.LOL

[jackmac7]

So this project will be ready in 2 years. Is it fair to say we would have the 2nd or 3rd best facilties in Melbourne behind the Lexus centre and possibly MC Labour park when that is complete?

I think our centre will be better than Waverly.

[jackmac7]

A Gymnasium, pool and a indoor basketball stadium.......

Very smart I reckon. Just watch all the primary school kids come marching into the saints headquarters walking passed all the St kilda stars. They'll come Marching out as little sainters if they weren't already.:thumbsu:

Does anyone have a rough estimation of the population all the way down the peninsula?

Also Harvey will be back at St Kilda for sure in a few years seeing he lives next door. Banger will have a pretty good retirement i would think.:rolleyes:

[wheels4]

The seaford Saints Hey. At least it's not Franga and where closer to the city then Franga.


mate trust me, Frankston is a way better place than Seaford.

[Kildonan]

mate trust me, Frankston is a way better place than Seaford.

Frankston WAS a better place

[sauce_head]

"St Kilda Football Club ($1.43m, plus all additional costs) " is the part that concerns me. Hopefully we can keep control of those, but I serioulsy doubt we will be able to. Conceptual design on budget mean very little when it comes to the bottom line.

[Squizzy1970]

They have had the budget re-assessed (by QS) and it has been confirmed.

The main issue was the blowout in steel prices. As the commodity market has tanked, the risk of cost increases has been substantially reduced.

BTW - Frankston police have been empowered in a ground breaking initiative to "move people along" if they have become anti-social!!!

[sauce_head]

Concpetual design is usually within 20-30% as acceptable industry standard. At an estimated total cost of £10M and 20% accuracy, that could represent £2m additional cost to the bottom line. I hope we have some decent construction lawyers on board, or at least somebody who understands construction, especially as we are taking on all additional cost.