Skoda Stadium (Sydney Showground)

[rioli is a hack]

I was in the area yesterday so I decided to check out the GWS future home ground at the Sydney Showground, Olympic Park.

There is currently permanent seating for 13.5k in seating that stradles the southern end from centre wing to centre wing. The viewing is great from anywhere. The terrace is approx 2m above the playing surface. The Members Stand would currently be the prime seating.

There is approx 3k additional temporary seats on the eastern side which look a little ugly, and the venue is not configured for AFL in any way yet, although the playing surface area looks good (assuming they grass the 5m dirt track around the circumference.

Overall I was impressed. I'm not sure what the redevelopment timeframe is. Nothing seems to have commenced so I doubt there will be significant improvement prior to season 2012.

EXISTING FACILITY

REDEVELOPMENT

The Sydney Showground management seems to think the redevelopment will be complete in 2012. I don't know if they mean by the end of 2012 but that would be my optimistic guess. To list the ground improvements:

• New, covered grandstands on the South East and North East sections of the Main Arena, increasing permanent capacity from 13,000 to 25,000
• Upgraded corporate hospitality, bars, function space​
• Refurbishment of existing grandstand area​
• New media centre facilities, plus addition of a large video scoreboard and stadium sound system​
• Reconfiguration of the shape and surface of the Main Arena​
• Security fencing​

http://www.sydneyshowground.com.au/corporate/expansion.html

Further info here:

http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/files/62901/SA4340-RAS Showground EAv3 FINAL.pdf

Thoughts?

 

[AussieFTW]

Re: Sydney Showground

It would be fantastic if it was completed by February 2012, in time for the AFL season, but TBH that seems quite unlikely.
But at the same time, who can say? At carrara they had to destroy everything and start all over again, here all they have to do is build the stands on one half of the ground and connect it all to the existing grandstand on the southern side.
And along with that, new media centre facilities, corporate areas and all that other stuff.
I reckon, like, it's going to be pretty odd-looking though. The existing stands and the proposed new stands look quite different.

But at any rate, I think we can expect something similar to the Suns for 2012.. For the first half of the year we'll be playing at ANZ stadium, Manuka, and possibly even the SCG, before this stadium opens in the middle of the season..

 

[rioli is a hack]

Re: Sydney Showground

It would be fantastic if it was completed by February 2012, in time for the AFL season, but TBH that seems quite unlikely.
But at the same time, who can say? At carrara they had to destroy everything and start all over again, here all they have to do is build the stands on one half of the ground and connect it all to the existing grandstand on the southern side.
And along with that, new media centre facilities, corporate areas and all that other stuff.
I reckon, like, it's going to be pretty odd-looking though. The existing stands and the proposed new stands look quite different.

But at any rate, I think we can expect something similar to the Suns for 2012.. For the first half of the year we'll be playing at ANZ stadium, Manuka, and possibly even the SCG, before this stadium opens in the middle of the season..

The problem is we are already in mid February and they don't seem to have even started.

I can't imagine they will create a large construction zone prior to the Easter Show which puts the clock back to at least mid April. Doubt they can complete the works prior to April 2012.

I think they have been rather slow off the mark both here and at the Gold Coast. Far easier to package memberships around a completed stadium.

There is also supposed to be a redevelopment of Manuka which may make it unavailable for the start of 2012.

If there isn't a completed venue I would rather have GWS play games at Blacktown Olypic Park, perhaps with some temporary grandstands than at SCG or ANZ.

 

[UrLordUnbeliever]

Re: Sydney Showground

You know, maybe it won't be that big a deal..
From what Aussie and yourself have said, Rioli, it seems that whatever happens, at the start of the 2012 season, they may be able to play games at the Showgrounds stadium.
As long as they have a decent playing surface, why can't they play games at the Showgrounds stadium? There's still the existing grandstand which can seat around 1,300.. The new grandstands don't have to be completed in order for games to be played, surely?? I mean they've played games at the SCG and MCG while they've been destroying and rebuilding certain stands around the grounds..
If they can't complete the entire new grandstand by then, maybe they will have completed one stage of it that can be used, bringing the capacity close to 2,000 and just have them complete the rest of it during the season?

 

[rioli is a hack]

Re: Sydney Showground

You know, maybe it won't be that big a deal..
From what Aussie and yourself have said, Rioli, it seems that whatever happens, at the start of the 2012 season, they may be able to play games at the Showgrounds stadium.
As long as they have a decent playing surface, why can't they play games at the Showgrounds stadium? There's still the existing grandstand which can seat around 1,300.. The new grandstands don't have to be completed in order for games to be played, surely?? I mean they've played games at the SCG and MCG while they've been destroying and rebuilding certain stands around the grounds..
If they can't complete the entire new grandstand by then, maybe they will have completed one stage of it that can be used, bringing the capacity close to 2,000 and just have them complete the rest of it during the season?

That's possible but there is still alot of work to do.......fingers crossed.

 

[WOFTAMWarrior]

Re: Sydney Showground

You know, maybe it won't be that big a deal..
From what Aussie and yourself have said, Rioli, it seems that whatever happens, at the start of the 2012 season, they may be able to play games at the Showgrounds stadium.
As long as they have a decent playing surface, why can't they play games at the Showgrounds stadium? There's still the existing grandstand which can seat around 1,300.. The new grandstands don't have to be completed in order for games to be played, surely?? I mean they've played games at the SCG and MCG while they've been destroying and rebuilding certain stands around the grounds..
If they can't complete the entire new grandstand by then, maybe they will have completed one stage of it that can be used, bringing the capacity close to 2,000 and just have them complete the rest of it during the season?

Im looking forward to seeing games at Olympic Park. I think it will be fantastic to watch footy at and is easily accessed for public transport. I dont see them playing any Official AFL games at Blacktown because the transport facilities just arent there.

As said previous I feel Manuka, ANZ and SCG will be used throughout the first season of the Giants existance.

 

[Giants FC]

Re: Sydney Showground

I can't see that the SCG would be used. More likely if the Showgrounds isn't ready they'd play more games at ANZ.
The opening round, our first game, would have to be an ANZ game.

 

[AussieFTW]

Re: Sydney Showground

Yeah - wouldn't it be great to start of the 2012 season with a game at ANZ against the Swannies?
Failing that, whatever big Melbourne team we pick the biggest stars from.. So Collingwood? I can handle that! Either way sounds like a great way to start the season.

All we gotta do now is hope the boys are ready to take those teams on in a year or so!

 

[dlanod]

Re: Sydney Showground

Given what we've seen this year with GC getting the bye followed by Carlton (blockbuster in Qld, a lot of local Carlton supporters), I'd bet an otherwise small drawing game for the first game because of the hype of it being the first game - maybe WBD, NM or an SA/WA team, followed by a big game (Sydney, Collingwood, ???) for week 2 to maintain the momentum.

 

[UrLordUnbeliever]

Re: Sydney Showground

I see where you are going with this. so how about the Giants play in Melbourne in Round 1 against Bulldogs / Saints / Kangaroos at Etihad, which may get lost in the whole 'round 1 hype' and then in week 2 wow everyone with a big home game at ANZ against Collingwood, and then a couple of weeks later the first AFL game at Skoda Stadium, and then after that the first Sydney clash at ANZ.. Then the first ACT/GWS game, the first time they wear the ACT Strip..
You are right, you gotta keep the interest up throughout the season. And there are going to be a lot of new and exciting things in 2012! But they'll have to play interstate every 2nd week, and 2 of their 'home' games will be in Canberra, but it'll be good..
I can't wait to go up and see a game up there, see all the folks in their Greater Western Giants gear.. Will be excellent.

 

[dlanod]

Re: Sydney Showground

The first game would have to be a home game, so that all the fans can say they saw GWS's first game in the AFL. I think their best bet would be to make the second game a "home" blockbuster, which means it would probably have to be the Swans at ANZ.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Re: Sydney Showground

From the PDF:

As such, construction will be programmed to immediately commence after the Royal Easter Show
2011 and undertaken in a manner to ensure completion relative to critical dates.

2011 Royal Easter Show April 2011
Site establishment May 2011
Commencement on site May 2011
Early Work Commencement May 2011
Stage 1 Work Commencement June 2011
Stage 1 Construction Work June 2011 to April 2012

I can't be bothered reading through it again, but i also remember reading a while ago that stage 1 was to have a large temporary part to it, so the final stadium may not be complete untill 2013 or 2014. However, this will make construction quicker, and it will be of the same capacity.

 

[AussieFTW]

Re: Sydney Showground

Looks like we'll have to be showing off this brand new team in an uncompleted stadium.. It's better than nothing, but it's not really going to wow anyone..

 

[0497]

Re: Sydney Showground

What would happen annually when the R Easter Show is on? (they occupy the site for about 3 weeks)

Move across the road to the Stade de Oz?

 

[Giants FC]

Re: Sydney Showground

The blockbuster games are always going to be at ANZ - so during the Easter weekend maybe the AFL could put on a big Giants game there.
Maybe establish a "traditional" Good Friday or Easter Monday clash against one of the big name Victorian clubs. Possibly give out free or discounted tickets to anyone who's been at the Easter Show that day to create some publicity and interest.

Alternatively we could be away for a couple of weeks in a row while the Easter Show is on; or play one of our Canberra games around that time. But I like the idea of the Good Friday or Easter Monday blockbuster at ANZ.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Re: Sydney Showground

Again, i'm pretty sure it's mentioned what they'd do in the pdf

 

[Bomber Bears]

Re: Sydney Showground

The blockbuster games are always going to be at ANZ - so during the Easter weekend maybe the AFL could put on a big Giants game there.
Maybe establish a "traditional" Good Friday or Easter Monday clash against one of the big name Victorian clubs. Possibly give out free or discounted tickets to anyone who's been at the Easter Show that day to create some publicity and interest.

Alternatively we could be away for a couple of weeks in a row while the Easter Show is on; or play one of our Canberra games around that time. But I like the idea of the Good Friday or Easter Monday blockbuster at ANZ.

Souths play Canterbury on Easter Monday, generally, so would have to be good friday (but the AFL doesnt play on Good Friday).

Sounds like Big Day Out will be in the middle of a construction zone next season

 

[safman]

Re: Sydney Showground

for me its a downer the showgrounds are just too FAR and too east

i understand that they want to get the hill's district in on it but anything east of the cumberland really isnt "West" let alone greater west
was the decison money or were they scared off by the freight trains at blacktown

hopefully they play a few games out at blacktown so i can attend
i certainly dont see the club as "western" sydney now in its inner west and hills districts

price of AFL tickets and well over an hour's travel with clogged up M4 & parramatta road i'll pass and im certainly not taking public transport into lidcombe area at night

dont get me wrong i'll still support the team great to see the AFL expanding but playing at the showgrounds is the difference between going to the game's and watching the game's on tele

 

[The_Wookie]

Re: Sydney Showground

Souths play Canterbury on Easter Monday, generally, so would have to be good friday (but the AFL doesnt play on Good Friday).

Raises a conundrum really doesnt it. The AFL has to play a minimum number of games there a year, and if it nominated one as an easter monday match, I wonder if theres anything the NRL could do about it.

Like the MCG, I assume the NRLs contract with ANZ is for a minimum number of games a year, without tying them to specific dates. The interesting part is that the stadium is majority owned by none other than one Mike Fitzpatrick, chairman of the AFL Commission. Tin foil hats for everyone!

With the 3 weeks of the show, games could just be spread between ANZ, Manuka and away. Wont be that hard.

 

[Giants FC]

Re: Sydney Showground

The NRL don't normally schedule dates & times for their games until a few weeks before the game - so Easter Monday may not necessarily be locked in for NRL at ANZ.
But I think it's time for the AFL to move with the times and play a Friday night game on Good Friday - and I'd like to see GWS get that timeslot for an ANZ game. Maybe we could give free or discounted tickets to anyone who's been to the Show during the day, it'd be a good way to introduce some more people to the Giants.

 

[CC Giant]

Re: Sydney Showground

At the recent GWS-Swans reserves game at Stadium Australia, club officials advised that the Showground will not be ready by the start of next season.

Officials advised that games will be played at Stadium Australia and Manuka until the Showground was ready.

Easter Sunday is on April 8 2012, meaning the Show takes over around that time, so our initial games will be at Stadium Australia and at lovely Manuka (club officials were adamant that no home games will be played at the SCG).

I must respectfully disagree with the opinion that Sydney Olympic Park is difficult for Western Sydney residents to get to. Dump the car, catch the train, train tix are included in your match ticket (the utter irony that I am writing this when half of Sydney's trains are motionless is noted!). No M4 queues, both grounds are right next to Olympic Park Station, easy.

Also, when we play at Manuka, Canberra Station is quite close by as well. Murray's Buses are offering $15 one-way bus trips to Canberra at the moment, which is very cheap and could mean some fun times down the Hume Freeway.

The artists impressions of the renovated ground look really good. Hopefully, the Showground can become a fortress for us over the next decade.

 

[dlanod]

Re: Sydney Showground

train tix are included in your match ticket

Cheers for the post, but I'm just curious about this. I was under the understanding that train tickets included in the match ticket is an ANZ Stadium thing, not a general Showgrounds/Olympic Park thing.

I guess they don't run anything ticketed at the Showgrounds at the moment, so it's hard to say for certain, but I was curious whether you knew this as a fact or were just extrapolating from the ANZ Stadium set-up.

 

[Giants FC]

Re: Sydney Showground

They include transport into ticket prices, and run the Olympic buses, for the Easter Show.
My understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that the event promotor pays a levy for the transport, which makes public transport free and the Olympic buses run; which is compulsory if a crowd of over 45,000 is expected and optional for anything under that. The AFL have always paid the levy, the NRL only pay it for Origin games and finals.
(a complete tangent - at the stadium at Robina on the Gold Coast, the threshold is only 5,000; which is why Clive Palmer has capped Gold Coast United A-League club's crowds to avoid it)
One would hope the AFL will continue to pay it, even for our games at the Showgrounds which will often attract much smaller crowds. Especially since there's a good chance a lot of our supporters will come from the Hills district, where there are no trains.

But I agree with CC Giant. I live at Old Toongabbie, which is roughly equal distance between Homebush and Rooty Hill - and Homebush is a lot easier to get to. Especially by public transport - the comparison between getting the train or bus from Olympic Park, compared to a 2km walk on badly lit back streets to get to Doonside station where trains only run every half hour, is a marked contrast.

 

[dlanod]

Re: Sydney Showground

Cheers Giants FC. I knew about the levy but I thought it was the stadium, not the AFL, that paid it. I'd be surprised if they didn't pay it for GWS games at the Showgrounds then.

 

[zimmer86]

Re: Sydney Showground

for me its a downer the showgrounds are just too FAR and too east

i understand that they want to get the hill's district in on it but anything east of the cumberland really isnt "West" let alone greater west
was the decison money or were they scared off by the freight trains at blacktown

hopefully they play a few games out at blacktown so i can attend
i certainly dont see the club as "western" sydney now in its inner west and hills districts

price of AFL tickets and well over an hour's travel with clogged up M4 & parramatta road i'll pass and im certainly not taking public transport into lidcombe area at night

dont get me wrong i'll still support the team great to see the AFL expanding but playing at the showgrounds is the difference between going to the game's and watching the game's on tele

spot on mate! its the same for the A league, people just cant be bothered to travel by train to sfs or by car. Make the ground out at blacktown at least 20- 25 k stadium.