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holybishop

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Couple of updates. Firstly the Perth Stadium released a 'Cricket Fact Sheet'

The new Perth Stadium will be a world-class multi-purpose venue capable of hosting a range of events, including cricket.

The commitment to a ‘fans first’ stadium has resulted in an innovative design ensuring an exceptional event atmosphere and home ground advantage that can only be experienced by being there.

The design acknowledges Western Australia’s unique sporting, cultural and Aboriginal heritage and the Sports Precinct landscape provides a spectacular vista across the Swan River to the city.

Stadium – key cricket features
  • Design meets International Cricket Council standards and requirements.
  • Four drop in cricket wickets to replicate the character of the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) wicket.
  • Playing surface 177m east:west and 141m north:south.
  • Sight screens positioned to minimise impact on fan views and maximise seating for at least 55,000 fans.
  • State-of-the-art team facilities include an indoor cricket warm-up and practice wicket for each team.
  • Two dedicated Player Viewing Rooms with direct access to changing rooms and playing surface.
  • Secure access from changing rooms to indoor and outdoor practice wickets.
  • Ice baths and spas to maximise player recovery.
  • Media facilities that have the ability to accommodate an increased international contingent for major Tests or limited over matches.
  • Opportunity to use drop-in seats on east and west boundaries to bring fans closer to the action.

Shortly after that the WACA released their latest update to Members on their Future Development Strategy.

Dear holybishop

Welcome to the latest edition of Vision 2030, the regular newsletter to keep WACA Members up to date with progress of the WACA’s Future Development Strategy Committee (FDSC).

In this edition I will provide you with the key outputs from the second Vision 2030 Members Forum attended by more than 100 WACA Members on Monday 16 March.

The forum, which was chaired by FDSC and WACA Board member Lachlan Henderson, heard from FDSC Independent Chairman Michael Smith on progress with the committee’s work. In addition, Department of Sport and Recreation Director General Ron Alexander and new Perth Stadium Project Director Ronnie Hurst gave a presentation on the new Perth stadium.

Members also had the opportunity to put questions to all three speakers.

Immediately after the Forum, WACA staff conducted a survey of Members to capture their initial thoughts on the night. Nearly 90 per cent of those surveyed indicated they had confidence in the committee process outlined by Michael Smith and nearly 95 per cent said they were better informed about the new Perth Stadium.

Key points from Michael Smith’s presentation

Following are some of the key aspects of the presentation:

The Challenges

  • We need to promote and grow the game and develop the elite but we’re constrained by:
    • Poor state of the WACA Ground’s facilities/amenities – constrained capacity for some games.
    • Declining member satisfaction
    • Low patron satisfaction
  • The advent of the state-of-the-art new Perth Stadium presents both opportunities and risks for the WACA – the challenge for the Committee is to strike the right balance between opportunity and risk based on the evidence and the facts.
The Committee Process

The Committee is undertaking a comprehensive evidenced based approach including:

  • Financial modelling and business planning being undertaken by EY.
  • Architectural schematics and costings (including potential land sales) for a range of development options.
  • Market research of members and community to garner views of cricket lovers on both theWACA and the nPS as cricket venues.
  • Detailed financial modelling with Cricket Australia, drawing on the experiences of other cricket stadia around the country, to support the negotiations with the State Government.
Redevelopment/refurbishment options for the WACA

  • Based on the first stage of the EY work, the WACA Board has approved the exploration of 3 redevelopment options for further analysis.
  • Each option includes the development of high performance and administration facilities with a ground of differing capacities.
  • Each option has implications for the types of games that might be expected to be played at the WACA and the nPS.
The Options

  • Small venue with a capacity of 10,000
    • Limited opportunity for anything but community cricket to be played at the WACA
    • Limited Member capacity at the WACA (1,000)
  • Medium venue with a capacity of 15,000
    • BBL and large international games most likely to be played at the nPS
    • Moderate Member capacity at the WACA (5,000)
  • Large venue with a capacity of 20,000
    • BBL and large international games most likely to be played at the nPS
    • Large Member capacity at the WACA (10,000)
Members Interests

  • A key consideration for the Committee is to ensure that the interests of WACA Members are protected and promoted:
    • Currently undertaking market research to gather the views of Members about the respective venues
    • The WACA has been heavily involved in the design of the nPS to ensure that its Member facilities will support cricket members
    • The WACA is working to develop a range of membership options that recognises our existing Members and provide additional choice.
The Next Steps

  • Completing the work streams
  • Assessing the opportunities and the risks based on the evidence collected through the different work streams.
  • Recommendations to the WACA Board.
  • Finalising the negotiations with the State Government over the nPS.
  • Ongoing communication with Members.
  • Implementation of the final approved strategy.
Mr Smith said that in considering all the options during this process, the most important people were the Members and the players. Whichever option was recommended to the Board would have to be in their best interests and although any recommendation would come at a cost they were not about to saddle cricket with debt for the years ahead.

He also emphasised that no decision had yet been made on where cricket would be played in the future. A key aspect of this was that the commercial terms for using the new Perth Stadium had not been agreed and so it had not been possible to complete all the financial modelling to accurately determine which of the options would be best.

But while these negotiations were proceeding, the WACA through CEO Christina Matthews and CA had continued to work with the Department of Sport and Recreation on securing the best facilities for WACA members at the new Perth Stadium should some cricket be played there in the future.

This included securing a Members area of seating located on the northern side of the ground behind the wicket (with potential to use premium seating locations on the south side of the stadium in the future), as well as ensuring that dining facilities, restaurants, bars and general amenities and facilities met Member expectations.

DSR Director General Ron Alexander said that at this stage the design and features of the new Perth Stadium were being prepared so that if cricket relocated some of its key fixtures there, the facility would be ready.

A major aspect of this was the use of drop-in pitches. Project Director Ronnie Hurst described the technology and research that had been undertaken to ensure that drop-in pitches would be close to replicating the WACA wicket speed and bounce.


Timetable

Mr Smith said that at this stage the FDSC anticipated being able to report to the Board with its recommendations by the end of June. During the next few months the committee and EY would complete the financial modelling of all the options and continue discussions with government, football and other stakeholders.

He said that while the initial expectation had been to complete the process by December last year, the complexity and the delays in agreeing the financial terms of the new Perth Stadium had contributed to pushing this timeline out another six months.
 

holybishop

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Got some gossip straight out of the mouth of a WACA board member. Redevelopment will cost $150 million, with the state and federal governments putting in about $120 million. Capacity will drop to 15000 and apartments will be developed. Most Odis and tests will stay but the ashes and possibly India tests will be moved.
 
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Noctorniquet

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Got some gossip straight out of the mouth of a WACA board member. Redevelopment will cost $150 million, with the state and federal governments putting in about $120 million. Capacity will drop to 15000 and apartments will be developed. Most Odis and tests will stay but the ashes and possibly India tests will be moved.

Good to hear, what is the rough time frame on this? Will the residential aspect be privately funded or full govt/waca?
 

holybishop

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No idea on the time frame but I imagine it'll be announced officially soon. The WAFC are moving in and WAFL games will be played there as well.
 

hitthepost

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No idea on the time frame but I imagine it'll be announced officially soon. The WAFC are moving in and WAFL games will be played there as well.
I thought the ground wasn't big enough to fit a senior Aussie Rules field any more?
 
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Hell no
Got some gossip straight out of the mouth of a WACA board member. Redevelopment will cost $150 million, with the state and federal governments putting in about $120 million. Capacity will drop to 15000 and apartments will be developed. Most Odis and tests will stay but the ashes and possibly India tests will be moved.

I find this very hard to believe. Ain't no cash spare at either level of govt.
this may be a request at best.
Feds haven't given a cent for perth stadium yet. Doubt they will give some for waca.
 

holybishop

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I find this very hard to believe. Ain't no cash spare at either level of govt.
this may be a request at best.
Feds haven't given a cent for perth stadium yet. Doubt they will give some for waca.
Barnett has previously said that the State government would look at funding a WACA redevelopment if the WAFC move in and they need money to make the ground AFL compliant. I was also told that former WACA board member Christian Porter was a big reason they secured some funding from the Feds.
 

hitthepost

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Confirming though that there won't be AFL-level Aussie Rules played there, except perhaps a random NAB game?
I make this clarification between AFL and Aussie Rules not to be pedantic, but because there's a fairly large gap between what standard of facilities etc is required for AFL, and what is needed to simply be able to play a game of footy on the oval. So they're going to make the ground compliant for state-league footy, I assume :)
 

Bomberboyokay

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Dockers and Eagles will never play at the WACA and it doesn't need $150,000,000 for WAFL games and WAFC offices.

They'll have an easier time drinking from a broken glass than they will getting anything substantial from governments now Perth Stadium is underway.
 
Nov 10, 2013
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Hell no
Dockers and Eagles will never play at the WACA and it doesn't need $150,000,000 for WAFL games and WAFC offices.

They'll have an easier time drinking from a broken glass than they will getting anything substantial from governments now Perth Stadium is underway.
yeh, a token amount (say $5m at most) from either or both (just like freo got something for Cockburn and eagles (will) get something for lathlain).
 
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Got some gossip straight out of the mouth of a WACA board member. Redevelopment will cost $150 million, with the state and federal governments putting in about $120 million. Capacity will drop to 15000 and apartments will be developed. Most Odis and tests will stay but the ashes and possibly India tests will be moved.
This would be ideal but it's just hard to see them squeezing any money out of the governments.
 

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Bomberboyokay

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Only a matter of time until it's scaled down to a boutique-community venue for Sheffield Shield, WAFL and development/junior games of both sports. Scorchers will play at the new stadium and CA's Australia won't be long behind.
 
Only a matter of time until it's scaled down to a boutique-community venue for Sheffield Shield, WAFL and development/junior games of both sports. Scorchers will play at the new stadium and CA's Australia won't be long behind.

hand part over to trinity, extend the beautiful park and the rest for redevelopment. Same goes for Gloucester Park.

East Perth would finally have critical mass and connect better with the river.
 

hitthepost

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Only a matter of time until it's scaled down to a boutique-community venue for Sheffield Shield, WAFL and development/junior games of both sports. Scorchers will play at the new stadium and CA's Australia won't be long behind.
IIRC you'd have to scale the playing field UP to fit a senior football field.

Unless they can get a large crowd I'd expect Tests to stay too, but international and domestic limited-overs would most likely move.
 

Silent Alarm

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vomitious
I personally think stripping a nice old ground of its charm into some behemoth that barely resembles itself (Adelaide Oval) is 'vomitious.'

WACA only suits small scale events and should only be a small scale ground. There's no shame in that. Look around the country – Bluetongue in Gosford, North Sydney Oval, Wollongong Showgrounds, The Junction... the prettiest grounds are or are being primed to be used exclusively for sub 20,000 events. Even NIB is a beaut of a stadium these days. Something like that for the WACA would be an awesome outcome.
 
I personally think stripping a nice old ground of its charm into some behemoth that barely resembles itself (Adelaide Oval) is 'vomitious.'

WACA only suits small scale events and should only be a small scale ground. There's no shame in that. Look around the country – Bluetongue in Gosford, North Sydney Oval, Wollongong Showgrounds, The Junction... the prettiest grounds are or are being primed to be used exclusively for sub 20,000 events. Even NIB is a beaut of a stadium these days. Something like that for the WACA would be an awesome outcome.

I was referring specifically to cricket moving from the WACA. There is no chance the WACA will become a behemoth like AO.

It's also not particularly charming right now anyway.
 

Bomberboyokay

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Unless they can get a large crowd I'd expect Tests to stay too, but international and domestic limited-overs would most likely move.

Tests get better crowds than ODIs don't they?

It's only going to take one season of AFL at the new stadium for people attending the WACA a few months later, waiting 20 minutes to get in, waiting 20 minutes to order a beer, and sitting in the hot sun all day to think aloud "Why the * isn't this being played at the new stadium?".
 
I personally think stripping a nice old ground of its charm into some behemoth that barely resembles itself (Adelaide Oval) is 'vomitious.'

WACA only suits small scale events and should only be a small scale ground. There's no shame in that. Look around the country – Bluetongue in Gosford, North Sydney Oval, Wollongong Showgrounds, The Junction... the prettiest grounds are or are being primed to be used exclusively for sub 20,000 events. Even NIB is a beaut of a stadium these days. Something like that for the WACA would be an awesome outcome.

but the WACA is a horrible place. sure the grass is nice but that be be anywhere. Perhaps Freo oval should become our boutique ground along with Lilac
 

hitthepost

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I personally think stripping a nice old ground of its charm into some behemoth that barely resembles itself (Adelaide Oval) is 'vomitious.'

WACA only suits small scale events and should only be a small scale ground. There's no shame in that. Look around the country – Bluetongue in Gosford, North Sydney Oval, Wollongong Showgrounds, The Junction... the prettiest grounds are or are being primed to be used exclusively for sub 20,000 events. Even NIB is a beaut of a stadium these days. Something like that for the WACA would be an awesome outcome.
I think having a ground become overlooked for major events due to its facilites is pretty bad too. That's what was about to happen at AO, it's in the perfect location but no way would it get AFL or retain big cricket if it wasn't improved and expanded.
 

holybishop

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IIRC you'd have to scale the playing field UP to fit a senior football field.

Unless they can get a large crowd I'd expect Tests to stay too, but international and domestic limited-overs would most likely move.
Most ODIs and Tests will stay. At this stage only the Ashes is a lock to move, and possibly the Indian tests as well. Dont see South Africa pulling enough to warrant a move.
 

Bomberboyokay

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I think having a ground become overlooked for major events due to its facilites is pretty bad too. That's what was about to happen at AO, it's in the perfect location but no way would it get AFL or retain big cricket if it wasn't improved and expanded.
The derelict condition and s**t capacity is why CA didn't give the WACA one of the four Tests and why the ICC gave it the leftovers/s**t World Cup games last summer.

If the Western Australian Cricket Association was short-sighted enough to say "Nope, we're staying here" CA would give them the s**t dates every year until they buckled.
 

hitthepost

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The derelict condition and s**t capacity is why CA didn't give the WACA one of the four Tests and why the ICC gave it the leftovers/s**t World Cup games last summer.

If the Western Australian Cricket Association was short-sighted enough to say "Nope, we're staying here" CA would give them the s**t dates every year until they buckled.
That's just it. People say it'd be terrible if they only got Shield games, people say it'd be terrible if all the tradition etc was lost. But it'd be more terrible if the people don't get the sport they deserve coz they don't have anywhere that's good enough and so everything goes to the Melbourne/Sydney[/Brisbane] stadia.
 
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